Hormonal Contraception and Vaginal Health

October 9, 2012 updated by: Jeffrey Jensen, Oregon Health and Science University

The Effects of Oral vs. Intravaginal Hormonal Contraception on Vaginal Health

The purpose of this study is to help determine if the route by which women receive hormonal contraception causes different changes to occur in the lining of the vagina. The investigators plan to compare an oral route (taking birth control pills) with a vaginal route (using a vaginal ring).

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The investigators intend to conduct a prospective, randomized study at Oregon Health and Science University. This study will be conducted over six 28-day cycles. Subjects enrolled in the study will undergo baseline vaginal biopsy and then be randomized to receive either intravaginal ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel (NuvaRing®) or oral ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel (Desogen®). Repeat vaginal biopsies will be obtained after three and six months of exposure to either oral or intravaginal hormonal contraception. These will be analyzed to measure the thickness of the vaginal epithelium and to quantify the presence of Langerhans cell, macrophages, T-lymphocytes and dendritic cells.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

14

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Oregon
      • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239
        • Oregon Health and Science University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female
  • 18-35 years
  • In general good health
  • With regular menses (every 28-32 days)
  • Seeking contraception and willing to use a hormonal method for at least 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current or recent (within the past 8 weeks) vaginitis or pelvic inflammatory disease
  • History of recurrent vaginitis (> 2 episodes in one year, any type)
  • Pregnancy
  • Recent use of hormonal contraceptives
  • Depot medroxyprogesterone: 6 months
  • Progestin implants: 3 months
  • Oral contraceptives: 3 months
  • Hormone impregnated IUD: 3 months
  • Contraindications to use of oral contraceptive pills or vaginal ring
  • History of deep vein thrombosis
  • Known coagulopathy or thrombophilia
  • Unexplained vaginal bleeding
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Diabetes with vascular changes
  • Present or history of hepatic disease or liver tumors
  • Migraines with neurologic changes
  • Myocardial infection
  • Pulmonary embolus
  • Stroke
  • Breast cancer
  • Hypersensitivity or allergy to hormonal contraception
  • Heavy Smoking ( ≥ 15 cigarettes per day)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Desogen

Drug: ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel

1 tablet every day; each tablet contains 0.15mg desogestrel and 0.03mg ethinyl estradiol; secen inactive pills every 28 days.

Subjects receive baseline vaginal biopsy, followed by treatment with the OC for six cycles and repeat biopsy at 3 and after 6 cycles
Drug: Desogen (ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel)
1 tablet every day; each tablet contains 0.15mg desogestrel and 0.03mg ethinyl estradiol
Other Names:
  • Desogen®
Active Comparator: NuvaRing

Intravaginal Contraception

ethinyl estradiol (0.15 mg/d) and etonogestrel (0.12 mg/d) Place the ring in the vagina for 3 weeks, remove for one week. Repeat with new Ring

Subjects had baseline vaginal biopsy followed by 6 cycles of ring use and repeat biopsy at 3 and after 6 cycles
Drug: NuvaRing (ethinyl estradiol and etonogestrel)
Place the ring in the vagina for 3 weeks, remove for one week. Repeat with new Ring
Other Names:
  • NuvaRing®

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Thickness of the Vaginal Epithelium (in mm)With Means and Standard Deviations Reported.
Time Frame: baseline, 84 days, 168 days
Histologic evalation of vaginal sections was performed to measured and record the absolute thickness of the vaginal epithelium. Baseline findings were compared to biopsies after three and six cycles of treatment. Mean values were compared using T-test for paired data for baseline and 84 days, and baseline and 168 days
baseline, 84 days, 168 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adverse Events
Time Frame: over 168 days
Self-reported treatment-related and serious adverse events
over 168 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Oregon Health and Science University

Collaborators

Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jeffrey T Jensen, MD., MPH, Oregon Health and Science University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 2007

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2008

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 29, 2008

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 29, 2008

First Posted (Estimate)

February 11, 2008

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

November 8, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 9, 2012

Last Verified

October 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • OHSU RES 2017

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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