May 9, 1960 was not any day: the United States Food and Medicines Administration (FDA) officially approved the contraceptive pill Enovidmarking a milestone in the history of reproductive health. While Enovid had been authorized in 1957 for the treatment of menstrual disorders, It was in 1960 when it became the first oral contraceptive for generalized use.
This advance revolutionized the way women controlled their reproductive health, allowing them to make decisions about family planning with an effective and safe method.
Today 65 years of this historical approval are commemorated, and the oral contraceptive panorama has evolved significantly. In its first decades, the pill experienced significant advances, since the incorporation of new synthetic hormones in the 1970s until the reduction of estrogen doses in the 90s to minimize side effects.
In the 21st century, the advances continued with the introduction of new active ingredients, such as the settrol (E4) in 2022, which marks the last advance in the evolution of these hormonal treatments.
He Estetrol, A natural estrogen produced during pregnancy has revolutionized contraception. Its ability to act selectively in the body allows a more effective control of the menstrual cycle with less adverse effects compared to other synthetic estrogens.
“One of the key advances that allowed the development of the contraceptive pill was the synthesis of progesterone from a Mexican plant: The wild yam (Mexican God’s). With this base it begins to study The possibility of inhibiting ovulation, and this allows the development of the first contraceptive pill. Then we could say that the doses of the compounds began to decrease, ”he explained to Infobae the Dr. Elisa Moltoni President of the Argentine Medical Association of Contraception (Amada) MN: 114737.
And he expanded: “Other milestones were then the discovery of different derivatives of progesterone, with different profiles, and ethinilestradiol, present until today in contraceptives. Already more recently to incorporate natural estrogens into the pillsit was undoubtedly a great advances that bring us the latest generations of contraceptive pills. ”
But, What impact did the incorporation of more natural and selective hormones, such as the sactrol, in the safety and tolerance of current oral contraceptives? “While ethinylstradiol is still present and more than in force, in low dose, in most hormonal contraceptives, the latest generations of pills managed to add natural estrogens. The latest novelty are what they contain sortol, a natural estrogen that is absorbed very well oral
The latest generation of pills with stertol compared to the previous formulations has undoubtedly characteristics that distinguish it.
“Effectiveness and security are very good both in pills with low dose ethinilestradiol and those with natural estrogens. But natural estrogens, especially that is a stertol, behaves very neutrally on certain organism parameters: Modifies virtually nothing cholesterol, Blood pressure, coagulation factors, but has a very good effect by controlling menstrual bleeding, for example. That gives you A very interesting clinical and security profile. In addition, in preclinical studies, although there is a long way to travel, it shows to have a very neutral and/or antiproliferative action in the breast, which is promising in that it could not have an impact on the breast risk, to which we are always attentive as professionals, “said the expert.
– What clinical criteria and users of users are considered today when indicating an oral contraceptive in medical practice?
Dr. Elisa Moltoni: —Hormonal contraceptives has a very wide range of indicationfrom adolescence to menopause. Always, in an interview, we observe if the user has any contraindication to the use of estrogen (example: hypertension, thrombophilia, migraine with Aura), in which case we will prefer methods without estrogen. Then you advise on all the available methods and that you can use safely, also including long -term methods such as implant and intrauterine contraception. The user will decide based on their preferences, and clinical profile, since we can improve a lot of the quality of life by decreasing disorders such as menstrual pain, abundant bleeding and anemia, acne or excess hair, endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, among others. We always recommend adding a condom for the protection of sexually transmitted infections
—What lines of research are in progress or projected for the future of oral contraception in terms of efficacy, customization and side effects?
—There are many lines of research in contraception: in the oral different combinations and use of those already marked as the sactrol with drosyrenone in different clinical scenarios. Then multipurpose vaginal rings (to which antiretrovirals), contraceptive chips that would allow an on-off contraception, self-degradable implants without the need to remove them, new generation dius, with new materials, male contraceptives, with new materials, male contraceptives. Everything carries a process of safety and efficacy research that takes years to be approved.
In 2024, the laboratory Gador launched in Argentina a combined contraceptive Stestrol and Drosyranonea formulation that has been very well received due to its low impact on lipids, its neutral effect on weight and its protection against fluid retention.
Innovation is not only in the chemical composition of the pill, but also in its ability to improve the quality of life of women. Clinical studies have shown that the combination of stetrol with drospyrenone does not negatively affect libido in more than 97% of users, which represents an advance with respect to other hormonal methods that can alter sexual life.
In addition, this new pill not only has direct benefits for women’s health, but also stood out for its Less environmental impact. The stertrol is degraded more efficiently in the environment, which reduces contamination in bodies of water, a problem associated with many traditional contraceptives that contain synthetic estrogen.
The appearance of the contraceptive pill has been one of the greatest revolutions in modern medicine, allowing women around the world to take control of their reproductive health. Over the years, Its evolution has responded so much to demands of users as to advances in pharmacological science, and the Stetrol is only the last chapter of this story.
Today, more than ever, the contraceptive pill remains a key tool in family planning and women’s well -being. With each innovation, it continues to consolidate as a pillar of reproductive health, improving the quality of life of those who use it and opening new possibilities for the future of hormonal medicine.
