Recent Advances in Hormonal Contraceptives for Women

Currently, Contraceptive agents play a key role in family planning in India. Hormonal contraception is the marketed most common birth control option in women. An estimated 100 million women throughout the world use hormonal contraceptives for prevention of pregnancy. This article briefly describes the recent advances in hormonal contraceptive strategies that may minimize side effects while optimizing effective contraception. There are four types of hormonal contraceptive agents available for birth control. They include oral contraceptives pills (combined and mini-pills), contraceptive patches, hormonal implants, intrauterine devices and hormone injection agents. Oral contraceptives (OCs) are among the most widely used agents because they are highly effective when used properly. Generally, OCs are designed to simulate the 28 days of the menstrual cycle by daily intake of steroid hormones consisting of an estrogen and/or a progesterone. The primary mechanism underlying OC action is inhibition of ovulation. This action is achieved using a variety of OCs with substantially different components, doses, and side effect profile. Two types of OC pills are widely available: combination pills; and progesterone only pills. The combined daily OC pill is composed of low dose of synthetic estrogen and progesterone. They are usually taken for 21 days with a 7 day gap during which menstruation-like bleeding occurs. Recently, there are several new OCs that have been approved to minimize the frequency and/or extent of breakthrough bleeding while achieving reliable means of contraception for the avoidance of unplanned pregnancies.