A study carried out by a team of researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (USA) has carried out a follow-up of the continuity of the effectiveness of contraceptive methods in the long term, concluding that their effectiveness it goes beyond the expiration date stipulated by the FDA ( Food & Drug Administration ).
Thus, contraceptive implants and hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) ” remain very effective one year beyond their approved period for use, ” the researchers explain to the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology , whose results come from a follow-up of 500 women (between 18 and 45 years old) of the initial 800 that the study had.
Contraceptive implants have a recommended duration of use of 3 years and the IUD of 5 years ; For their research, the volunteers kept the contraceptive methods in their body for 1 more year, discovering that none of the women who had implants had become pregnant. Of the women who used the IUD, only one became pregnant in the year after its recommendation for use , that is, in the sixth year of use. Both methods confirmed that the resistance of these contraceptives goes beyond the established limits.
“This research is important because long-term use of these devices will reduce costs for both the individual and the insurer and improve comfort for women, who can delay reinsertion of the devices,” explains Colleen McNicholas, co-author of the study.
“The longer a contraceptive method is used, the bigger the impact it can have. In the long term, this work has the potential to change the way we provide birth control around the world and we can allow women to control their health and reproduction, ”says Jeffrey Peipert, study leader.
