A recent clinical trial has found that taking an anti-inflammatory drug alongside a widely used morning-after pill significantly increases its effectiveness as an emergency contraceptive.
The morning-after pill, known as levonorgestrel, is one of the most commonly used emergency contraceptives worldwide. However, its effectiveness is limited to before the release of an egg from the ovaries. According to a study, when taken within 49 to 72 hours after unprotected sex, the pill is only 58% effective in preventing pregnancies.
In this trial, researchers hypothesized that anti-inflammatory drugs, which inhibit prostaglandins, substances that also play a role in reproductive processes, could further decrease the chances of unwanted pregnancy. To test this hypothesis, the study involved 860 women seeking emergency contraception within 72 hours of unprotected sex at a family planning clinic in Hong Kong.
Half of the participants were given levonorgestrel and an anti-inflammatory drug called piroxicam, while the other half received levonorgestrel and a placebo. The treatments were randomly assigned, and neither the participants nor the healthcare professionals were aware of which treatment each participant was receiving.
The results showed that only one woman from the group taking the anti-inflammatory drug became pregnant, compared to seven women from the placebo group. Based on the expected number of pregnancies after unprotected sex, the anti-inflammatory drug group prevented 95% of expected pregnancies, compared to only 63% in the placebo group.
It is still unclear how the anti-inflammatory drug contributes to preventing unwanted pregnancies, and further mechanistic studies are needed to understand the process fully. However, the lead researcher, Kristina Gemzell-Danielsson, hopes that these findings will influence the prescription practices of healthcare professionals worldwide. She suggests that since piroxicam is cheap and widely available, it can easily be prescribed alongside levonorgestrel.
Additionally, Gemzell-Danielsson believes that combining piroxicam with another emergency contraceptive called ulipristal, which functions similarly to levonorgestrel, could also be effective. However, this combination has not yet been tested in a study.
Judith Stephenson, a researcher from University College London, expresses that although the findings have the potential to bring significant changes in clinical practice, it is essential to have them confirmed through further studies. She also highlights the importance of exploring the effectiveness of this drug combination in individuals who have missed one of their daily contraceptive pills.
Topics:
