Annovera, the inexpensive vaginal ring that lasts a year

We are in the 21st century and the burden of contraception continues to fall disproportionately on women. Pills, vaginal rings , spirals (IUD), are all systems, valid for heaven’s sake, but which are always on the shoulders of the woman who is not always exempt from contraindications of drugs and devices.

Also for women, a new type of ring has been tested and is ready to be placed on the market in the coming months, which is inexpensive, lasts a year, does not need refrigeration and can be managed independently.

It’s called Annovera, and it was developed by the nonprofit Population Council . In the United States, it was approved in August 2018 by the FDA and will be licensed for distribution by the pharmaceutical company TherapeuticsMD.

Annovera has been defined as an affordable contraceptive for low-income women. Let’s see why.

How does the long lasting ring work?

It is a flexible silicone vaginal ring that can be inserted and removed by the woman in complete autonomy. It is worn for 21 days, followed by a 7 day break, after which it is inserted again.

Releases progestin and estrogen into the woman’s bloodstream. In total, the long-lasting ring maintains a contraceptive action for 13 menstrual cycles of 28 days.

Like other long-acting contraceptives, the ring can be worn during intercourse and most women do not feel the device during intercourse. If removed, the ring must be reinserted within two hours of intercourse to prevent pregnancy.

The advantages of Annovera

This long-acting ring offers the convenience of a long-acting method like the IUD because no daily action is required, but like the pill, it can be removed at any time. In fact, the woman can insert and remove the ring by herself and it is reusable for up to a year without having to go to the doctor or pharmacy and furthermore, unlike other rings, it does not have to be placed in the fridge.

The advantage of Annovera is that it can be used throughout the world, even in low- and middle-income countries where more than 214 million women need to use contraception to avoid unwanted pregnancies.

Because it’s effective for up to 13 cycles (one year) and doesn’t require refrigeration, Annovera could be a good option for women living without regular access to health services or electricity.

Contraindications

This ring is not intended for smokers 35 years of age or older, and has not been shown to be effective in women with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 29.

Efficacy and safety studies

The new device was tested in two large, identically designed US and international studies. As reported in The Lancet Global Health , the trials were done between 2006 and 2009. 2,265 participants, ages 18 to 40, were asked to wear the rings for 21 consecutive days and take them off for a 7-day break. , thus mimicking the normal menstrual cycle. It was also explained to her that they could periodically remove the rings, but for no more than two hours at a time , as the effectiveness of the contraceptive could otherwise be impaired.

When data from the studies were analyzed, the device was found to be 97.5% effective , meaning that if 1,000 women used the device, 25 could become pregnant.

The researchers then followed 290 women and found that all of them had started menstruating normally after they stopped using the rings. 24 of the 38 who had wanted to try to become pregnant succeeded within six months of having the ring removed.

When will it hit the market? In the United States from 2020. News in this sense is awaited in Europe.