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A new contraceptive body cream, which could one day replace the Pill, has been developed by scientists, the UK media reports this morning. Women need only to rub a small amount of the product into their arms, legs, shoulders or abdomen, once a day, to ensure that they do not fall pregnant. In early clinical trials, the cream has thus far proved to be just as effective as using the Pill.
The main benefit of the contraceptive cream, reportedly, is that it does not cause the same side effects, such as weight gain, acne or mood swings, that affect 40% of women who take the Pill. Experts believe that this could make the cream popular with self-conscious girls …
… and young women, and could ultimately help tackle rising teenage pregnancy rates.
The cream may also be preferable for the many other women who have difficulty with the Pill or dislike having to remember to take a tablet once a day. It is thought that women may find it easier to rub in a small amount of contraceptive cream when they carry out their daily beauty regime.
The cream, which has been developed by scientists in New York City, contains a combination of the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone – the chemicals found in most forms of the Pill. But the cream contains a different type of progesterone – called Nestorone – which reportedly causes far fewer side effects than the pill. In addition, the cream could be used as a contraceptive method by breastfeeding mothers as, unlike the Pill, the hormones to not enter breast milk.
The research and development that went into the cream, along with the results of the early clinical trials, were presented yesterday at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual conference in Colorado. The developers of the product claimed that the women trialled preferred using the cream to other contraceptives, and stated that they expect the cream to be widely available, following subsequent trials, within the next few years.
I think this cream sounds absolutely brilliant – and to a degree I can’t understand why it hasn’t been developed before now, given that there are already oestrogen gels available for HRT. For many women, for example those who lead busy lives or work shifts, remembering to take the pill proves more difficult than they’d think and, whilst you’d need to remember to apply the cream too, it sounds like the cream could be an easier option. And if they formulated the product to moisturise skin too, I have no doubt it could eclipse the majority of contraceptive methods available currently. Good times.
