News | Beyond the Morning-After Pill: Study Identifies a New Contraceptive Option During Peak Fertility
A preliminary study published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health suggests that a new drug combination may have potential as an on-demand oral contraceptive. Combining ulipristal acetate with meloxicam could effectively prevent ovulation during peak fertility, offering a possible option for contraception used before or after intercourse as needed.
Addressing a Gap in Conventional Contraception: The High-Risk Period Around Ovulation
The research team noted that the luteinizing hormone surge in the days before ovulation is when women are most fertile and ovulation is hardest to prevent. Common emergency contraceptives such as ulipristal acetate are effective only when taken before the surge begins.
The researchers explored whether combining ulipristal acetate with meloxicam, a COX-2-inhibiting nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, could extend the contraceptive window and prevent ovulation even at peak fertility, potentially creating an effective on-demand oral contraceptive for use before or after intercourse.
Small Trial Shows Encouraging Results, With Ovulation Disrupted in Up to 89%
The study enrolled 10 healthy women aged 18 to 35 with regular menstrual cycles. Each completed two cycles:
Baseline cycle: natural ovulation was observed;
Treatment cycle: participants took ulipristal acetate 30mg plus meloxicam 30mg during the luteinizing hormone surge.
Nine participants completed all testing and were included in the analysis. Ultrasound and hormone tests were used to confirm whether ovulation occurred. The results showed:
Ovulation was successfully prevented in 6 women;
8 women showed indicators of incomplete ovulation;
The treatment cycle was extended by about 3 days on average, which researchers noted is particularly important for women using fertility-awareness methods.
Potential to Improve Emergency Contraception, With Results Described as Highly Promising
Although the study was small and exploratory, the researchers considered the results informative:
“When compared with other regimens in the existing literature, this drug combination appeared more effective throughout the ovulatory window than any current single-agent treatment.”
—The research team wrote in the paper
They further noted that the combination could represent a new approach to on-demand oral contraception and might substantially improve the effectiveness of ulipristal acetate as emergency contraception.
However, the researchers emphasized that its safety and effectiveness must be confirmed in larger groups of women, and that risks and suitable patient groups for long-term use require further study.
Background:
Ulipristal acetate: widely used in emergency contraceptives such as EllaOne and effective only when taken before ovulation.
Meloxicam: a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used mainly to relieve pain and inflammation that can also interfere with ovulation.
News | Beyond the Morning-After Pill: Study Identifies a New Contraceptive Option During Peak Fertility
News | Beyond the Morning-After Pill: Study Identifies a New Contraceptive Option During Peak Fertility
A preliminary study published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health suggests that a new drug combination may have potential as an on-demand oral contraceptive. Combining ulipristal acetate with meloxicam could effectively prevent ovulation during peak fertility, offering a possible option for contraception used before or after intercourse as needed.
Addressing a Gap in Conventional Contraception: The High-Risk Period Around Ovulation
The research team noted that the luteinizing hormone surge in the days before ovulation is when women are most fertile and ovulation is hardest to prevent. Common emergency contraceptives such as ulipristal acetate are effective only when taken before the surge begins.
The researchers explored whether combining ulipristal acetate with meloxicam, a COX-2-inhibiting nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, could extend the contraceptive window and prevent ovulation even at peak fertility, potentially creating an effective on-demand oral contraceptive for use before or after intercourse.
Small Trial Shows Encouraging Results, With Ovulation Disrupted in Up to 89%
The study enrolled 10 healthy women aged 18 to 35 with regular menstrual cycles. Each completed two cycles:
Baseline cycle: natural ovulation was observed;
Treatment cycle: participants took ulipristal acetate 30mg plus meloxicam 30mg during the luteinizing hormone surge.
Nine participants completed all testing and were included in the analysis. Ultrasound and hormone tests were used to confirm whether ovulation occurred. The results showed:
Ovulation was successfully prevented in 6 women;
8 women showed indicators of incomplete ovulation;
The treatment cycle was extended by about 3 days on average, which researchers noted is particularly important for women using fertility-awareness methods.
Potential to Improve Emergency Contraception, With Results Described as Highly Promising
Although the study was small and exploratory, the researchers considered the results informative:
“When compared with other regimens in the existing literature, this drug combination appeared more effective throughout the ovulatory window than any current single-agent treatment.”
—The research team wrote in the paper
They further noted that the combination could represent a new approach to on-demand oral contraception and might substantially improve the effectiveness of ulipristal acetate as emergency contraception.
However, the researchers emphasized that its safety and effectiveness must be confirmed in larger groups of women, and that risks and suitable patient groups for long-term use require further study.
Background:
Ulipristal acetate: widely used in emergency contraceptives such as EllaOne and effective only when taken before ovulation.
Meloxicam: a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used mainly to relieve pain and inflammation that can also interfere with ovulation.
Story source:
Collected online