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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Vitrification: Clinical and Laboratory Perspectives

Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Vitrification: Clinical and Laboratory Perspectives

Published on: September 16, 2021

Hormonal contraception: present and future.

Giuseppe Benagiano¹, Carlo Bastianelli, Manuela Farris

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University "la Sapienza", Rome, Italy. giuseppe.benagiano@uniroma1.it

Drugs of Today (Barcelona, Spain : 1998)

|February 10, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Hormonal contraception has evolved beyond the pill to include various delivery methods and formulations. Modern options offer reduced estrogen doses and new progestins for effective pregnancy prevention and emergency contraception.

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Published on: October 4, 2019

Area of Science:

Reproductive endocrinology and pharmacology.
Development of pharmaceutical agents for birth control.

Background:

Hormonal contraception, initially the oral "Pill", has diversified into multiple administration routes including oral, injectable, transdermal, and intrauterine systems.
Current hormonal contraceptives use either combined estrogen and progestin or progestin-only formulations.
Significant advancements include reduced ethinylestradiol dosages and the development of novel progestins across four generations.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the evolution and current landscape of hormonal contraceptive methods.
To highlight pharmacological aspects, including estrogen and progestin components and their dosages.
To discuss recent innovations and future directions in contraceptive technology.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on hormonal contraception.
Analysis of pharmacological components and delivery systems.
Categorization of progestins by chemical family and generation.

Main Results:

Combined hormonal contraceptives now contain significantly lower doses of ethinylestradiol (down to 15 microg).
Newer progestins like drospirenone, dienogest, and chlormadinone are incorporated into oral contraceptives.
Non-oral and long-acting formulations, including patches, vaginal rings, and intrauterine systems, offer extended contraceptive protection (up to 5 years or more).

Conclusions:

Hormonal contraception has seen substantial innovation in formulations, delivery systems, and reduced dosages.
Current and emerging methods provide diverse options for effective pregnancy prevention and emergency contraception.
Continued research focuses on improving efficacy, safety, and user convenience in contraceptive technologies.