Is this the end of the pill as we know it? Fertility experts create a contraceptive “on demand” that women take just BEFORE sex
- Researchers have identified on-demand therapy that can be taken just before sex
- The combination of a pill in the morning after and an arthritis drug disrupted ovulation
- They said the drugs were the “best candidate” for on-demand oral birth control
By Emily Craig Health Reporter for Mailonline
Posted: 23:30, 25 April 2022 | Updated: 23:30, 25 April 2022
Taking pills every day may soon become a thing of the past for women who are on contraception.
Researchers at Stanford University in California have found what they say is “promising” therapy on demand – meaning it can be taken just before sex.
A combination of morning-after pills and an arthritis drug was found to “disrupt ovulation at peak fertility.”
They said the cocktail – given in two pills – was the “best candidate” for oral birth control just before sex.
The treatment works by disrupting ovulation, the point of the menstrual cycle when a woman is most likely to become pregnant, which also works on the pill.
The researchers wanted to know if a combination of existing drugs could be taken during the luteal tide – three days before ovulation – to act as a contraceptive pill if “peak fertility” was required at that time. Currently, birth control pills must be taken daily to work, with condoms and diaphragms being the only contraceptives available on request.
The researchers said patients and doctors were “very interested” in developing a contraceptive on demand.
Current birth control pills can cause side effects, including mood swings, nausea, headaches, and slightly increase the risk of blood clots and cervical cancer.
At present, birth control pills must be taken daily or three weeks a month for them to work, with condoms and diaphragms being the only contraceptives available on request.
Nine women aged 18 to 35 years were given a single dose of 30 mg ulipristal acetate and 30 mg meloxicam during the luteal tide – the days before ovulation, when it is most difficult to break.
WHAT CONTRACEPTION METHODS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE CURRENT TIME?
Contraception aims to prevent pregnancy. A woman can become pregnant if a man’s sperm reaches one of her eggs.
Contraception tries to stop this by keeping the egg and sperm separate, by stopping the production of eggs, or by stopping the combined sperm and eggs from attaching to the lining of the uterus.
Contraception is free for most people in the UK. Available options include:
- caps or diaphragms
- combined pill
- condoms
- contraceptive implant
- contraceptive injection
- contraceptive patch
- female condoms
- IUD (IUD)
- IUS (intrauterine system or hormonal coil)
- natural family planning (awareness of fertility)
- progestogen-only pill
- vaginal ring
Ulipristal acetate – sold as ellaOne – stops or slows the release of an egg.
As it is currently used, it must be taken within five days of sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy and is not currently intended to be used as a regular form of contraception.
Meloxicam, which is sold under brands including Mobic, is an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat long-term conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.
While the morning-after pill disrupts ovulation before the luteal rush, it has been previously reported that meloxicam interferes with ovulation even after the luteal leap has begun.
The study looked at nine participants who were followed for two menstrual cycles, about two months, to identify their normal ovulation patterns and when their luteal leap occurred.
In their third cycle, they were given a cocktail of drugs. To determine if ovulation had occurred or been disrupted, they performed an ultrasound scan and blood tests to measure key hormones.
The drug is considered an effective contraceptive if it disrupts ovulation.
The results, published in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, show that ovulation was impaired in six of the women, while eight met some of the criteria for incomplete ovulation.
During the cycle, when women took the medication, their menstrual cycles increased by three days, from 29 to 32, and progesterone levels were lower. One participant reported irregular bleeding.
The researchers said the results were “promising” and suggested that the combination of drugs could interrupt ovulation “when the risk of conception is highest.”
This makes it a “promising candidate for evaluation as a pericoital (during sex) oral contraceptive,” they added.
However, they noted that further studies are needed on the effectiveness of the combination of drugs and the side effects they cause.
The results also suggest that taking meloxicam with ulipristal acetate may increase the effectiveness of the morning-after pill, they said.
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