3D Printed Vaginal Rings For Contraceptive Applications: Materials, Mechanisms, and Opportunities

Despite the wide range of contraception options available, half of births worldwide are still unplanned. Intravaginal rings (IVRs) have been a popular method for delivering long-acting contraceptive drugs because they provide consistent hormone release and better patient adherence. The design and customization flexibility of current treatment manufacturing techniques is limited, and rapid prototyping is not an option. Personalization was made possible by the new options made possible by additive manufacturing, particularly 3D printing. It has been explored with respect to multidrug systems and dual-purpose rings that combine STI/HIV preventive techniques with contraception. Similar to functional and structural characterization, mechanical strength, stability, and mucoadhesion are compiled to show viability. Additionally, the potential for future developments, such as AI-guided design and 4D printing, is examined with safety needs, clinical translation issues, and regulatory concerns. The most significant aspects of material selection, including biocompatible and biodegradable polymers, as well as the effects of fused deposition modeling, stereolithography, and other printing techniques on the construction and operation of devices, are discussed in this article. All of these results demonstrate how 3D printing may be used for manufacturing scalable, flexible, and designed vaginal rings, which could revolutionize patient-centered contraceptive solutions.