Title: Combination of Painkiller and Morning-After Pill Found to Prevent 95% of Pregnancies, Study Shows
Subtitle: Experts hail the discovery as a potential breakthrough in contraception and family planning
Date: Wednesday, August 16, 2023
In a groundbreaking study published in the Lancet, researchers have found that combining the painkiller piroxicam with the morning-after pill levonorgestrel can significantly reduce the risk of pregnancy. The study revealed that this combination prevented 95% of pregnancies, compared to only 63% effectiveness when levonorgestrel was used alone.
Experts in sexual health are calling this finding not only significant but also “very exciting.” They believe that it could revolutionize pregnancy prevention after unprotected sex and urge governments and health services to consider revising their clinical practice policies to routinely offer both drugs to women seeking to avoid pregnancy.
Piroxicam, an anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to treat arthritis, when taken alongside levonorgestrel, proved to be a highly effective contraceptive method in the study conducted by medical academics from Hong Kong and Sweden. The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 860 women who accessed levonorgestrel emergency contraception at a sexual and reproductive health service in Hong Kong between 2018 and 2022.
Dr. Sue Lo, a co-investigator of the study and a member of the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, expressed excitement about the findings, particularly because levonorgestrel is widely used globally as an emergency contraceptive. She emphasized that combining it with piroxicam, which is easily accessible, could significantly increase its efficacy.
Levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate are the two most commonly used morning-after pills worldwide. Both of these drugs work by preventing or delaying ovulation, but they are not effective if ovulation has already occurred.
The study also highlighted that the combination of drugs did not produce any additional side effects compared to using levonorgestrel alone. Late periods, a common concern for women using emergency contraception, were reported equally in both groups.
Previous research stated that levonorgestrel is 95% effective within 24 hours of unprotected sex, 85% effective after 25 to 48 hours, and 58% effective after 49 to 72 hours. However, recent studies have challenged these success rates, further underscoring the importance of the newly discovered combination therapy.
Dr. Janet Barter, the president of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare in the UK, described the study’s findings as “very exciting” and highlighted the potential to improve the efficacy of emergency contraception.
Professor Richard Anderson from Edinburgh University commended the study for demonstrating a significant difference in effectiveness between the two drug regimes and emphasized that this combination could be easily and affordably implemented in clinical practice.
While the study focused on Asian participants and those with a body mass index under 70kg, Dr. Erica Cahill from Stanford University’s medical school cautioned that the findings may not apply universally.
In conclusion, the discovery of the painkiller piroxicam enhancing the effectiveness of the morning-after pill levonorgestrel could have a profound impact on contraception and family planning. This breakthrough provides hope for women seeking reliable options after unprotected sex and reinforces the need for ongoing research to improve contraceptive methods.