Daily birth control pills are the world’s most common form of medicinal birth control, but when it comes to remembering to take the pill every day, nearly half of women admit to slipping up. Fortunately, a new birth control solution may soon be available.
Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Young Women’s Hospital are coming closer to the development of a birth control pill taken once a month, rather than once a day. The process involves developing a polymer that can survive in the acidic environment of the human stomach for 30 days. Next researchers pack this polymer with levonorgestrel, a progestin common in birth control pills so that an even amount is released into the bloodstream daily. In experiments with pigs, researchers found the new pill releases about the same steady amount of daily hormones as conventional birth control.
The concept of progressive hormone release is not new, but current methods such as upper arm implantation and intrauterine devices require a minor medical procedure for insertion. A monthly pill would make the medicine more readily available to a wider scope of patients.
The researchers are optimistic about applications outside of birth control as well. Long term release technology could be used to simplify treatment for HIV, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. The technology offers not only innovative medical care but improved quality of life for individuals who rely on daily medication. A transition to monthly administration would regulate the dosage and free patients from the daily burden of remembering to take specific medications.
