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Contraceptive efficacy of low doses of mifepristone
L Marions1, K G Danielsson, M L Swahn
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Objective:
To determine whether a 5-mg dose of mifepristone is sufficient to prevent pregnancy.
Design:
Clinical study.
Setting:
Academic research center.
Subject(S):
Healthy, fertile, sexually active female volunteers.
Intervention:
Volunteers received a 5-mg dose of mifepristone once weekly, starting on cycle day 2, for up to 6 months. This was their only contraceptive method.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Number of pregnancies.
Result(S):
The treatment resulted in a significant decrease in pregnancy rate without affecting the menstrual cycle or causing disturbing side effects.
Conclusion(S):
A low dose of mifepristone, which does not inhibit ovulation, reduces fertility significantly by affecting the endometrium. However, the contraceptive effect needs to be improved for the drug to compete with other contraceptive methods.