Roe v. Wade

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled on June 24 to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision establishing the constitutional right to abortion. This controversial reversal will have a number of far-reaching societal repercussions.

One consequence of reversing Roe v. Wade? It will accelerate innovation in contraception.

Public interest in effective contraception has increased sharply in the last few weeks, as unwanted pregnancies have become more consequential. Doctors have reported an increase of up to 12x in consultation requests for vasectomy, a surgical procedure where the tubes that carry sperm to the urethra are cut and sealed to achieve male sterilization.

Vasectomy has been used as a form of contraception since the mid-20th century. Other common forms of birth control, such as condoms, intra-uterine devices (IUDs), and birth control pills and patches have been around for decades or longer.

What might the future bring when it comes to innovative contraception? Here are three cutting-edge technologies under development.

Male Contraception Gels

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has funded an ongoing Phase 2B clinical trial to test the efficacy of a male contraception gel in preventing pregnancy. This gel combines two hormones – a progestin compound and testosterone – to block sperm production while preserving normal sexual drive and other functions.

The progestin/testosterone gel has been shown to lower sperm count below the threshold considered necessary for procreation after two to five months. The clinical trial is ongoing, with approximately 420 men being monitored for tolerability, side effects, and efficacy.

Male Non-Hormonal Contraception

A company called YourChoice Bio is developing a type of male non-hormonal contraception. The company's therapy works by blocking sperm cell development and sperm release without altering the hormonal balance of the patient’s body. Early animal studies suggest the potential for up to 99% efficacy and 100% reversibility, with minimal side effects.

YourChoice is currently raising the capital needed to initiate human trials.

Male contraception, whether hormonal or otherwise, will bring the additional societal benefit of broadening contraceptive options. Safe, efficacious, and reversible male contraception will allow couples to better share the responsibility for family planning and therefore improve gender equity.

Morning-Before Pill

You may have heard of the 'morning-after' pill. It is a form of emergency contraception that works by preventing egg fertilization if taken within 3-5 days of having unprotected sex. The morning-after pill has been available in the United States since 1999, as the over-the-counter pill Plan B.

Now, scientists at Stanford University have developed a potential oral pericoital contraceptive, meaning a 'morning-before' pill. Their initial results showed ovulation disruption in 67% of test subjects.

While promising, this level of effectiveness will clearly have to improve in order for the morning-before pill to become a viable commercial product. Tolerability and side effects will have to be better understood as well. Hopefully, we will see this research progress towards a clinical trial in the next few years.