Practical and safe contraceptives

2001/03/18 Mendiburu, Joana - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Osasuna
• Medikuntza
• Ikerketa-zentroak

All studies coincide in pointing out that fewer and fewer children are becoming, and that the age of the mother is older, which is due to the incorporation of women into the labor market and contraceptive methods. In 2000, more than 700 million women have used some method of contraception and more than one woman has been surprised by their misuse and by not guaranteeing 100% safety.

The most commonly used contraceptives are the intrauterine device (IUD) and the pill. It is said that these two methods will be used more and more, but they will have changes to make them easier to use and more efficient. But these changes are not the only changes that will occur in this market in the coming years. The most optimistic are male contraceptives, which will protect against sexually transmitted diseases, newly designed implants, etc. They believe that they will be marketed.

Pill and DIU

As has already been indicated, the pill and IUD are the most used contraceptives, but despite using them, many people do not know how they influence.

Every year, 220,000 pregnant women are left unintentionally.

The pill has two main effects. On the one hand, artificially maintaining the level of progesterone and estrogen hormones, it establishes the body in conditions comparable to the first phase of pregnancy. On the other hand, it slows the secretion of hormones induced by hypothalamus and pituitary, thus avoiding ovulation. With these two direct effects it is possible, first of all, to avoid ovulation and, therefore, to avoid the arrival of eggs to the uterus. Second, the cervical thickness becomes impassible for the sperm. Finally, the mucus of the uterus also suffers changes and is not prepared for the nest of an egg.

The effectiveness of the pill is around 88%, although it has significant disadvantages. It will be taken daily and preferably at the same time. In addition, it can cause vomiting, headaches, and thromboembolic diseases in smokers and vascular accidents. However, according to experts, less and less research on the pill is being done. The contraceptive that should be generated should affect gametes and not hormones. The principle would be to modify the function of certain proteins to associate sperm to the egg. There would be no hormonal changes and would ensure greater safety.

As for IUD, it is a contraceptive used by 180,000 million women. This intrauterine device is made of copper wire and its effectiveness lies in the ability to frighten and kill sperm by ionizing this metal. To avoid the breakage or perforation of copper threads, ACS with gold core was designed. The latter have a survival of about five years.

Future contraceptives

Among the new contraceptives is the pill of the day after, which is distributed in schools of the French State and Great Britain, among others. Obviously, the goal of this pill is not that of the conventional pill. The hangover stops the development of the fertilized egg and should be taken again within 72 hours of having had sexual intercourse.

At the moment, condoms are the ones that protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

In addition to the pill, many other hormonal release techniques are being marketed. One of them is the endoceptive that releases hormones inside the uterus. This new method is a T-shaped plastic device. In the vertical branch has a layer that measures the amount of contraceptive electricity to be released. It has three main advantages. It is very effective, unlike IUD, it presents no risk of infection and also significantly reduces the duration of menstruation. This last data can be important for women with blood flow anemia. It is also a reversible method and has a five-year effectiveness. In the main European countries a million women use it.

But it is enough to do a little research to see that the contraceptive market will continue to undergo major changes. For example, a team of researchers at the University of Virginia is designing an easy and economical vaccine. The effect of this vaccine would be between 3 and 5 years, and after that time the woman would have no problem getting pregnant. For the moment, experiences have been made only in monkeys, but this year they intend to do so in women.

As if all this were not enough, it seems that male contraceptives will also be launched soon. It has been heard on several occasions and in the end it seems that the small revolution will come from China. Earlier this month the Chinese Academy of Science has detected a molecule of sexual apparatus, the peptide called Bin1b. The bin1b peptide is also responsible for aging, accumulation and expulsion of sperm.

The development of a drug that affects this peptide will prevent pregnancy and the transmission of diseases at the same time. In fact, this peptide is related to an antimicrobial group of molecules found in an area of testicles, so it is believed that it will also serve to combat bacteria and sexual viruses. Finally, the condom will not be the only contraceptive that protects against sexually transmitted diseases.

On the market where 6,000 million dollars are moved, the novelties should come soon, but since individual health depends on each one, do not forget to visit the gynecologist annually.

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