Contraception gel

Published on Thursday, 23 December 2010 09:25

By Charna Walfall

The most popular form of contraception is the pill, with over 3 million women taking it each year.

 However a survey by Marie Clare stated that, “2 million of the women that are on the pill today are dissatisfied with the contraception that they are using and would like another option”.

Scientists are always trying to find new methods of contraception for women that that have fewer side-effects, are less invasive and can be discontinued at anytime.

What is Nesterone?

It seems that medics have taken notice of women’s demands and have came up with a new type of contraceptive, Nestorone MDTS, a contraception gel.

It is formed from an artificial form of progesterone called progestin, which is similar to the hormone naturally produced by women, oestrogen.

Nestorone is a clear gel that is applied directly to the skin of the abdomen, thighs, arms or shoulders.

It is quickly absorbed and disperses into the bloodstream, leaving no residue. The recommended amount for full protection is about 3mg which is enough to keep the women protected when used on a daily basis.

Nestorone gel is different to other gels that are already available. Many of these include spermicide which is used to kill of any sperm that comes into contact with the skin.

These gels are inserted inside the vagina or used in conjunction with condoms. However, these gels can cause irritations or rashes if not used correctly or if those using them are allergic to the ingredients.

Nestorone gel suppresses ovulation and in turn stops any pregnancies.

The benefits

One of the main benefits of Nestorone is that it has little or if not no side-effects at all.

As the gel is absorbed into the blood stream it means it bypasses the liver and in return causes less strain on the digestive system.

It will not cause women to become nauseous, which is one of the side-effects that many women find the hardest to deal with.

The gel was trialled on 18 women aged between 20-39 years of age. Each of the women that were involved had a daily dosage of the gel over a period of seven months.

According the findings from the research, not one of the women who were tested fell pregnant or experienced any side-effects.

The results showed that women are able to use the gel while breastfeeding which is not the case for the pill as it has hormones that will interfere with the milk supply.

These findings have been used to market the drug as almost being side-effect free. If Nesterone is compared with other forms of contraception it would seem to be the preferred method.

Many women complain about the pill as it comes with many side-effects such as weight gain and nausea. Whereas none of these are apparent with Nesterone.

Once the gel is absorbed into the skin the woman is instantly protected whereas the pill has to be taken over a period of time at the same time everyday. If one is missed then she is no longer protected. 

Many of the other contraceptives can be invasive and uncomfortable. This can be said for the coil as this is to insert directly and placed around the cervix to stop the sperm from fertilising the egg.

This is another reason why the gel is more effective as it isn’t invasive, although some women may not be comfortable with applying the gel to their skin.

Of course, it depends on the individual preference as to which method is best for them. However, given the side-effects and the invasiveness of other techniques, then the gel is a clear winner.

The main downfall that the gel has is that the recommended amount is 3mg but it’s not easy to measure it accurately which could lead to under consumption. This means that there needs to be a way of accurately measure the dosage to ensure that the right amount is used.

Though the results are all positive, the gel has only been trialled over a seven month period and needs to go through more testing before being launched.

Dr Ruth Merkats, director of Clinical Reproductive Health, said, “We are long way from developing the gel, but it is definitely showing potential and promise”.

Disadvantages

As the gel has many advantages it may be expensive to buy or there would be restrictions on who has access to it.

Nesterone only protects against unwanted pregnancies but it doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore Nesterone has to be used in conjunction with a condom to stop the spread of infections.

There is also an idea for a spray form of contraception in the pipeline. Scientists are doing all that they can to create new contraceptives that are easier to use.

Relevant Links

Nesterone- Population Council Project

ACRUS-Nesterone