New contraceptive ring safer than the pill

LONDON - Nuvaring, a revolutionary contraceptive ring going on sale in the United States this year, is as effective as the pill, despite delivering substantially less hormone, a leading scientist says.

The flexible plastic device, which is inserted into the vagina each month, fits around the cervix and releases a steady flow of progestogen and oestrogen to prevent conception.

"The results are very promising indeed," said Dr Frans Roumen, a gynaecologist at the Atrium medical centre in Heerlen in the Netherlands, who conducted a year-long study on the ring made by Organon, a unit of Akzo Nobel.

Dr Roumen found only six pregnancies among 1145 women who used the ring over one year, a failure rate of well under 1 per cent, making it as effective as oral contraceptives.

Results of his research appeared in the journal Human Reproduction.

The ring, which is around 5cm in diameter and is folded before use, can be inserted and removed by women themselves.

It is designed to be kept in for three weeks, followed by a one-week ring-free menstruation period, although in future it is possible it could be used continuously to stop periods altogether.

Organon plans to launch Nuvaring in the US market this year, with Europe following later, once marketing approval is received.

It is not the first contraceptive ring but it offers a significant advantage over previous versions which released only progestogen, resulting in abnormal bleeding.

Vaginal rings are also being developed for other treatments. Northern Ireland drug company Galen Holdings plans to launch a ring for delivering hormone replacement therapy in Britain within the next couple of months.

In addition to convenience, Dr Roumen said Nuvaring's low dose would be a major plus for women worried about high hormone levels in the pill.

"The ring releases hormones continuously through the vaginal mucus, which is completely different from using a pill which produces an initial increase in hormones and then a decrease.

"It leads to fewer complaints, better bleeding patterns and the total daily dose is less than when using the pill."

That may be good news for women at risk of thrombosis since oestrogen has been associated with an increased risk of the condition.

- REUTERS