Safety of a Contraceptive Copper Vaginal Ring

Current contraceptive options have a variety of unwanted risks and side effects. Hormonal options are among the most effective and widely used contraceptives but come with a long list of potential risks. Hormonal birth control can lead to impaired glucose metabolism, reduced bone mineral density, headaches, poor libido, irregular periods, depression and suicide. High efficacy contraceptive options (such as intrauterine devices; IUDs) have their own drawbacks. While IUDs are generally safe, they pose more serious risks such as infection, perforation of the uterine wall during insertion, or the IUD being expelled from the uterus. They also involve a medical procedure to insert and remove. Therefore, many women prefer less invasive options when considering birth control methods. There is a gap in the current options for non-hormonal birth control methods that are minimally invasive and pose few serious risks.

The copper vaginal ring (CVR) is a novel contraceptive device for the prevention of pregnancy. The copper ring utilizes a non-hormonal design and is anticipated to have fewer side effects than the copper IUD due to its placement further from the uterus, its shorter duration of use, and the fact that insertion does not require an invasive procedure.

The primary objective of this study is to determine the safety of a copper-containing vaginal ring in women. The secondary objectives of this study are to assess the fit, tolerability and adherence to copper vaginal ring instructions for use, and to determine what concentration of copper accumulates in the cervical mucus and vaginal fluid during use of the ring.

The study will enroll 8 women of childbearing age. All of the participants will use the study device for a duration of 28 days. Participants will come back to the clinic on day 5 of their cycle for a baseline assessment and to insert the ring. After 28 days of continuous use, all the participants will have their vaginal rings removed.

The study involves undergoing pelvic examinations, collection of vaginal fluid using vaginal swabs, collection of blood samples and cervical mucus before the trial starts (baseline), followed by pelvic exams, vaginal swabs, cervical mucus and blood collection occurring again at each of the 8 in-person visits. Visits occur at baseline, and on days 1, 2, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. On day 28, immediately after removal of the ring, biopsy samples from both the vagina and the endometrium will be taken.

At the end of the 28-day cycle, during the removal visit, all the participants will complete a survey with questions about the usability, tolerability, acceptability and adherence to use of the copper vaginal ring.