Unisex contraceptive pill on the horizon?

Contraceptive pills for women include popular choices such as cerazette, marvelon, yasmin and zoely, all of which slightly differ in their active ingredients and mechanism of action, but all are ultimately designed to prevent the woman from becoming pregnant.

For the male, there is the barrier method of wearing a condom, which some men still find uncomfortable doing, and not much else choice wise. However, could things change in the future?
Remarkably, there may be contraceptive pill on the horizon that could be taken by both men and women, following advancements in the knowledge of sperm biology in the United States.

The new study, funded by the governmental National Institutes of Health, could also lead to the reversal of infertility in thousands of British men after the findings demonstrated how sperm are given a “power boost” to get to the egg.

The scientists involved in the study managed to identify a protein contained in sperm that provides it with sufficient energy it requires to power towards an egg and break into it.

Researchers in the study commented that this ABHD2 protein allows the tail to ‘crack like a whip’ and ‘power kick’ its way into the egg.

With this in mind, by blocking this protein, this could stop the sperm from fertilising the egg.
Dr Stuart Moss, of the National Institutes of Health, said: “Developing new compounds that block ABHD2 ultimately may yield new contraceptive methods that prevent sperm from research the egg.”

University of California, Berkeley researcher Melissa Miller also commented: “What is really cool is that we have an actual target for unisex contraceptive development.”

Therefore theoretically, a contraception pill could be taken by either the male or female, which could let men have a bigger share of the contraceptive responsibility in a relationship.

On the flip side, a pill which boosts the protein could even help infertile couples to finally have children, the journal Science reports.

At the moment, around 80% of male infertility cases cannot be pinpointed to a definitive reason, mainly because doctors are not fully aware how the interactions between sperm and eggs result in infertility. Moreover, the sperm could be the problem in half of all cases of infertile couples.

It was previously challenging to analyse the functions of sperm with conventional laboratory methods due to the fact it is the body’s smallest cell.

However, advancements in technology over the last 5 years led to the new discovery at the University of California, whereby scientists have been able to attach electrodes to the sperm’s tail and record how it reacts to hormones.

This meant that they were able to discover how a large receptor on the sperm tails – a calcium channel referred to as CatSper – is activated by progesterone from the egg.

The scientists however believed that the progesterone wasn’t directly impacting on the calcium channel, but on another receptor, which then activated the calcium channel.

This was found to be true; tests showing that progesterone binds to an enzyme named ABHD2, found in abundance within sperm.

After it connects to the enzyme – on the surface of the sperm – it get rids of a lipid that has been inhibiting the calcium channel. This then allows CatSper to open the gate to calcium ions and thus, sperm activation.

Ms Miller commented that this inhibitor, CatSper, is probably there to stop the sperm from prematurely travelling to the egg and using up their limited supply of energy.

Contraception carelessly shunned by women over 40 leading to more abortions

Although the menopause typically hits women at about the age of 50, a good number of women experience this ‘change of life’ in their 30s or 40s, where their ovaries no longer produce eggs, monthly periods are no more and it is very unlikely the woman will become pregnant.

Therefore, this could be behind an increasing number of women in their 40s undergoing abortions, as their attitude towards contraception and fertility becomes more lax in comparison to women in their 20s.

According to abortion provider The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), over four in ten women over the age of 40 who undergo an abortion have carelessly not been using any contraception. Despite being younger and viewed as potentially more immature, less than one in three women in the 20 to 24-year-old age bracket found to not be using contraception then went for an abortion.
In 2002 there was 6,531 abortions carried out for women aged between 40 and 44, but by 2012 this had soared to 7,737.

BPAS say a large number of women are under the impression that by their 40s, it is so difficult to fall pregnant that they can avoid using any contraception altogether. This is inexplicable and quite absurd when considering the wide variety of options out there for women in the present day, such as Dianette, Marvelon, Yasmin, Zoely, or the Levonelle 1500 morning after pill – an emergency contraception pill that can be taken within 12 hours of unprotected sex and no later than 72 hours after.

In addition, experts also say that as women are commonly warned about a lower chance of motherhood in their 30s due to declining fertility, this message has been taken to extremes and now means women older than this are simply foregoing safe sex in the assumptions they will not become pregnant.

Prof Neil McClure, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen’s University Belfast, says: “Women should not rely on their increasing age as a method of contraception.”

BPAS are responsible for conducting the majority of abortions in Britain paid for by the NHS, with more abortions seen for women aged over 35 than for females under the age of 18.

Ann Furedi, bias Chief Executive said: “Over the past few years we have seen much scaremongering about older women’s fertility. From ‘career women’ leaving it too late to older women ‘banking on IVF’ to conceive, these stories lead many women to dramatically underestimate their own fertility later in life.

“At bpas we see more women over 35 with unplanned pregnancy than we do women under 18. We know from speaking to women that stories and campaigns suggesting it’s hard to get pregnant after 35 – even if well intentioned – are having a real impact on women’s perception of their own fertility, and therefore their use of contraception. Women deserve accurate, impartial information to make their own choices about family planning in their 30s. Fertility does decline as you get older, but the drop is not as great as we are sometimes led to believe. For women who don’t want to fall pregnant the message is simple: use contraception until you have passed your menopause.”

Prof McClure added: “The message needs to be that fertility is lower in older women when compared with younger women, that fertility does decline after the age of 35 but women over the age of 35 are still fertile and need to use contraception right up to the menopause if they do not want to conceive.”
Data from the Office of National Statistics show that since 1990 there has been more than a double rise in the conception rate for the over-40s, jumping from 6.6 to 14.0 conceptions for every thousand women. The number of over-40s becoming pregnant increased from 12,032 in 1990 to nearly 29,000 by 2011, whilst conception rates in women aged 35 to 39 almost doubled in the same time frame.

The post-Christmas battle with the bulge has begun!

Firstly, Medical Specialists Pharmacy hopes everybody has had a brilliant Christmas with friends, family and loves ones. We hope you have recovered from the frenetic, fast-paced and chaotic last few days and are settling down back to normality!

The period of the year that follows Christmas and runs into the following year is a particularly busy one for Medical Specialists. Our patient base spanning thousands upon thousands, usually expands as quickly as the waistlines of many who are seeking our help!

Yes, this is the time when all those mince pies, all those chocolate treats on offer, that fatty/sugary Christmas pudding and the endless supply of alcohol at the work Christmas party, will all make their presence felt – on the scales.

It is thought the average Brit consumes two or three Christmas dinner servings, taking in 2,300 calories in the process. This means women are consuming 115% of their recommended daily intake of calories and for men, it is 92%.

However, even prior to the festive period, most Brits will lose an average of 3lbs, usually to look their best for parties or other social events. This is all well and good until you learn that this is typically followed by severe overindulgence and a 6lb gain in weight. It seems the excess of food and alcohol simply catches up to all of us rather quickly and explains why ‘go on a diet’, ‘lose weight’, or ‘exercise more’, are included on many people’s list of New Year’s Resolutions.

Weight loss is achieved relatively easy enough, theoretically. With the right positive mind-set and willingness to achieve it, together with adopting a healthy diet and weight loss aid such as Xenical or Alli, shifting those post-Christmas pounds is rather doable.

A lax approach with food and inevitable slight weight gain is generally expected around the festive period, and sometimes hard to avoid when work colleagues are offering you treats on a regular basis. Weight gain can be reversed through dieting, however what happens when you have a lax and careless approach with regards to your sexual health?

As mentioned earlier, many want to look their best for parties and social events, which means the likeliness of attracting a sexual partner has suddenly increased somewhat. Unfortunately, sensible attitudes to sex suddenly go out the window at this time of year as people get swept up in the party atmosphere. Alcohol consumption spirals, along with sheer carelessness.  Condoms and other contraception simply don’t get used or are forgotten about in the heat of the moment, and a whole host of problems are created.

This is demonstrated in the fact the Family Planning Association (FPA) say their sexual health hotline is at its busiest in January as worried individuals contact them about an unplanned pregnancy or an apparent sexually transmitted infection they have contracted.

Rebecca Findlay of FPA, spoke last year about the issue, saying: “The helpline tends to go quiet before Christmas as everyone is busy and out partying, but calls then peak in January. Most people call about STIs or unintended pregnancy.”

If women have unprotected sex and are forgetting to take daily their daily contraception of Marvelon or Yasmin, this could result in many of the pregnancy concerns reported to the FPA, especially if condoms are not being used as well – which also massively reduce the risk of STIS. Condoms should be used with or without the daily contraception pill for this very reason and if you are worried, we are able to provide you with a clamelle chlamydia test kit that you can conduct in the comfort of your own home, or even a morning after pill. The morning after pill can actually be taken up to 72 hours after sexual intercourse has taken place.

Therefore, perhaps showing more care for your sexual health could be one of your New Year’s Resolutions should you decide to create some, like 7 million others will do, as the New Year gives everybody the perfect chance for self-improvement.

So what are the common resolutions we tend to make? Some old-age common resolutions include the health-oriented goals such as quitting smoking, joining a gym, cutting down on alcohol and eating less chocolate.

In recent years, as our daily lives have become faster paced and frantic, this has reflected on the introduction of some surprising resolutions, and less emphasis on ones that were previously more highly prioritised.

Instead, there are more aims influenced by our increasing time spent on social media, with ‘Socialise more in real life rather than Facebook’ making it in at number 21 of the 2012 LA Fitness poll of 2,000 people to find what they wanted to achieve for 2013.

The top 30 New Year’s Resolutions were found to be:

1. Read more books
2. Save more money
3. Lose weight
4. Redecorate
5. Take better photos
6. Go travelling
7. Sell old unwanted stuff on eBay
8. Buy a tablet
9. Organise photos
10. Do something for charity
11. Spend more time with kids
12. Buy a Sunday paper
13. Less TV time
14. Connect my computer to my TV
15. Leave work on time more often
16. Less time on Facebook
17. Totally revamp my wardrobe
18. Try a new hairstyle
19. Get a six-pack
20. Eat less chocolate
21. Socialise more in real life rather than Facebook
22. Drink less alcohol
23. Buy less coffee from Starbucks/big chains
24. Start my own business
25. Tell someone I have feelings for them
26. Quit smoking
27. Gain a promotion
28. Learn how to use Twitter
29. Run a half or full marathon
30. Call people more than text

Whatever your hopes and aspirations are for 2014, Medical Specialists wishes you luck in your journey to get there. However, you do not have to make that journey alone and we are here to help. Whether this be through smoking cessation medication to help you to quit, or through directing you to a weight loss forum where you can share your experiences and diet tips with others in a similar position, our patients’ needs are always at the core of everything we do. Good luck and a have a great New Year!

The astonishing wonders of the female contraceptive pill Yasmin

With so many versions of the contraceptive pill currently available, it may be a little confusing and even daunting for many women when trying to decide exactly which is the right choice for them.
Many people may not be aware, but ‘The pill’ first came to prominence 56 years ago (1956) in Puerto Rico and in the present day there are approximately 3.5 million women in the UK alone who choose this as a contraception method.

Contraceptive pills are chosen often in conjunction with the male still wearing a condom as normal in what could be regarded as a ‘belts and braces’ safety precaution. More and more women could turn to contraceptive pills for their incredibly high rate of pregnancy prevention.

Another persuasive factor could also be the fact that only two months ago, the Implanon contraceptive implants hit headlines for all the wrong reasons when it was revealed that the small biodegradable rod had become lost within the body of hundreds of women after doctors are struggling to locate them, leaving the woman infertile.

Long term patients with Medical Specialists Pharmacy may already be aware that we have provided oral contraceptive treatment for women for a number of years now, in the form of the wonder drug Dianette. For those unfamiliar with Dianette, it is a pill taken by women for everyday for 21 days of their menstrual cycle, followed by a 7 day break when no pills are taken at all (also known as ‘cyclic treatment’). During this break, women are still protected against unwanted pregnancies. In the 7 day rest period, hormone levels in the blood begin to decrease and women will experience a withdrawal bleed that is just like a normal period. Regardless of bleeding, the next pack of 21 tablets is begun after the week is up.

However, there are now more options than ever for women in regards to contraception. One such option is another contraceptive pill, named ‘Yasmin’. Taken by thousands of women across the UK and even millions more worldwide, it has recently been introduced by Medical Specialists along with Marvelon and the Morning after pill, Levonelle 1500.

A Yasmin tablet contains two active ingredients; ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. These are synthetic forms of the naturally occurring female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. The drospirenone within Yasmin works as a diuretic, meaning it helps to flush the body of excess fluid and reduce the symptoms of bloating which stem from this problem that arises when a woman is pre-menstrual. One tablet is taken every day for 21 days and you then have a seven day break from pill-taking, exactly the same as Dianette.

In addition to battling the problems of water retention, Yasmin can also help to maintain or even lose weight and just like Dianette, has been shown to be incredibly effective at easing skin conditions such as acne.

Don’t take our word for it though, this is what Dr Diana Mansour, head of fertility services for Newcastle Primary Care Trust, had to say about Yasmin: “It is not unusual for women to come back to us and say that Yasmin is the best contraceptive option they’ve had so far. Some of the other contraceptive pills they’ve been on have made them feel awful. Women have not only put on weight but have felt moody, too. If you ask women why they give up taking the pill, it is usually the side-effects, or perceived side-effects, and one of those is weight gain.”

In fact, trials conducted in June 2000 pitted Yasmin against Microgynon 30; another main contraceptive pill used by women in the UK. Both contraceptives were found to improve acne symptoms. However, it was discovered that women taking Yasmin actually lost between 1lb 10oz and 3lb 10oz over the course of a year. In comparison, women taking Microgynon 30 managed to put on 1lb 8oz.

One delighted user of Yasmin is 28-year-old Kathy Hart, a marketing director based in Kent. At aged 17, Kathy began to take the low dose contraceptive pill Mercilon. Initially happy, she began to gain weight with Mercilon. Kathy says: “But after ten years I started to gain weight and at that point the low dosage pill was no longer deemed suitable. I started to get intermittent bleeding between periods, tender breasts, awful headaches and a real feeling of bloatedness – something I’d never experienced before. I was about to get married at the time, so was under a lot of personal stress. The condition of my skin deteriorated and I started getting lots of spots, which left me feeling very depressed. It felt like a nightmare vicious circle. When you’re getting married, you’re desperate to look like a princess – but my body seemed be refusing to cooperate. At one point I thought I would not be able to fit into my wedding dress because I was so bloated all of the time. Eventually, I decided I’d had enough and went to see a family planning adviser. After listing all my problems, she mentioned the new contraceptive pill, Yasmin. I was told Yasmin would help my skin look better, that my hair would be less oily and more glossy, and, most importantly, that it would help stop the bloating. Although it wasn’t available on prescription at the time, I was told I could take it on a trial basis. I didn’t even hesitate. The combined package of benefits was exactly what I needed. I jumped at the chance. For the first month of taking it, I actually felt quite nauseous and the pills didn’t seem to agree with me at all. But my family planning adviser said that the nausea was completely normal. I’d been taking a different contraceptive pill – and therefore a different drug – for nearly ten years, so there was bound to be an adjustment period. After the first month, the improvement was fantastic. I stopped getting the “spotting” between periods, and over the next few months my skin cleared completely. It helped me regain all the confidence I’d lost. Now, 13 months on, I’m 100 per cent happy with Yasmin and I recommend it to all my friends. The base level benefits – such as not getting pregnant and the cycle control – work exactly as they should. But above and beyond that is the fact that Yasmin controls the bloatedness and all the other awful things I was experiencing on my previous contraceptive pill.”
If Kathy’s story wasn’t enough, just listen to what Dr Mansour had to say in her praise of Yasmin, where 90% of the 60 women taking Yasmin prescribed by Newcastle Primary Care Trust, were still on the treatment after three months. Dr Mansour comments: “That’s a much higher rate than with the standard pill we prescribe, Microgynon 30, when only 78 per cent of patients are still taking it after three months. Basically, if you’re using a pill that actually has a health benefit, then you’re much more likely to stick with it and the women we’ve prescribed Yasmin to, are far happier using it than previous contraceptive pills they’ve been on.”

So, there you have it. We hope women now feel a little more clued up about the wide range of contraceptive pills that are available, and the added benefits that some of them have besides their primary purpose. For further information though, feel free to visit the Women’s Health section of the Medical Specialists website where we offer female contraceptives such as Yasmin, Marvelon, Dianette and Levonelle 1500 (Morning after pill), as well as medications for other conditions such as female hair loss and sexual health.

Contraceptive pills could avert the onset of dementia in later life

Young women who are taking the contraceptive pill could be prevented from developing memory problems and dementia in their later years claims a new U.S. study.

In particularly it is believed that the group of female hormones, oestrogen, are the key. Oestrogen is present in contraceptive pills such as Dianette, Marvelon and Yasmin and scientists say it is linked to a better memory as it stops arteries from hardening and therefore increases the supply of blood into the brain.

It has long been common knowledge that Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), (also containing oestrogen) can help stave off dementia. However, it is only now that a study has emerged that has analysed the possible benefits of contraceptive pills.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin decided to focus their investigations on 261 women who had conducted health surveys and were aged between 40 to 65.

The women had to perform memory tests such as naming as many words as possible about a particular subject as well as naming certain objects. What intrigued researchers was the fact that a lot of the woman who had been taking a contraceptive pill came out with better results than those women who had not. In addition, a correlation was established between length of time on the pill and a higher rate of scores the women managed to attain.

Researchers say that the oestrogen could also be promoting the growth of certain cells within both the brain and spinal cord in addition to maintaining blood flow to the brain.

The study, published in the Journal of Women’s Health, was led by researcher Kelly Egan, who said: “Our analysis indicated that hormonal contraceptive use may have a protective cognitive (memory) effect, even years after use is discontinued. This is especially true in subjects with a longer duration of use.”

Their study did not go into looking at the causes and risk factors for dementia however, or how it can be treated.

Dementia is a term given to a collection of related conditions that are connected to the on-going, gradual decline of the brain and changes to its structure, Memory, thinking, speech, understanding and judgement can all be severely impacted when someone is suffering from dementia, and the sufferer will almost always require some form of help from family and friends, in particularly in relation to decision making.

There are currently 570,000 people living with dementia just in England. Over the next 30 years it is predicted that this number is going to double. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, where there is a progressive loss of brain cells. There is no definitive cause of Alzheimer’s but it is believed to be due to a number of things such as lifestyle factors that are contributing to vascular disease, a family history of the condition and also has been linked to severe head injuries.
Unfortunately there are no medical cures for dementia and the condition will gradually worsen over time. However, if you or a family member has been diagnosed with dementia, The NHS, social services and voluntary organisations are able to give advice and offer any necessary support to help you and your family.

Young women carelessly ignore condoms when taking the pill

A U.S. study has found that when women decide to use a hormonal contraceptives, pills, patches etc.; they often tend to stop using condoms. In addition, the same study discovered that years later if they then stop using the hormonal contraceptives, they will not resume any use of condoms. This is quite alarming and puts these women at a high risk of either an unwanted pregnancy, or possibly contracting a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea or herpes. Only by using effective condoms such as Durex or Skins condoms can the threat of picking up an STI be kept to an absolute minimum.

Researchers from the Stanford Medical School in the U.S. looked at information obtained from almost 1,200 sexually active women. All women were aged 15 to 24 years of age and were visiting Planned Parenthood clinics. They were just beginning to use contraceptive pills, injections, patches or vaginal rings and not planning to fall pregnant in the forthcoming twelve months. When the study first got underway, it was determined that 36% of the study subjects used condoms consistently.
After three months study authors conducted a follow-up and found that the using of condoms had dramatically decreased by a shocking 27%. After a year, many of the women had stopped using any kind of hormonal contraception and worryingly; over half of these particular women did not then resume using condoms with sexual partners.

Those involved in the study advise that the most effective method of protecting against both an unwanted pregnancy and STIs is to adhere to the ‘dual method use’.  This could be described as a ‘belts and braces’ safety measure and is the use of condoms along with other contraception, such as the popular female oral contraception Dianette.

Lead researcher Dr. Rachel Goldstein offered her thoughts on the apparent dwindling number of women who are carelessly not bothering to use condoms, indicating the blame lies at the feet of the male. She says, “It appears that her partner’s feelings may be more important than her perceived risk of a sexually transmitted infection or her own beliefs about dual method use. Although a woman feels like she is at risk for an STI, she may not be able to advocate for herself and successfully negotiate condom use with her partner.”

For those unaware about the previously mentioned Dianette, they are contraceptive pills taken by women everyday for 21 days of their menstrual cycle, followed by a 7 day break when no pills are taken at all (also known as ‘cyclic treatment’). During this one week time period, women are still protected against unwanted pregnancies. In the 7 day rest period, hormone levels in the blood begin to decrease and women will experience a withdrawal bleed that is just like a normal period.
Dianette is available today from Medical Specialists Pharmacy, working out costing just £9.99 per month! In the next few weeks we will have other oral birth controls for women such as Yasmin and Marvelon. Similar to Dianette, both are also used in the treatment of acne. Keep checking the Medical Specialists website about these medications and many more which we are continuously adding to our product base.

Male contraceptive pill could be on the horizon with latest breakthrough

A major discovery by Australian researchers could finally bring a male contraceptive pill to fruition and give men more options to equip them and their partners against unwanted pregnancies. Currently condoms such as Durex and Skins for men or the oral contraceptive pill for women, Dianette, are just a few of the choices that are already presently available.

The latest developments follow other research conducted earlier this year by American experts who wanted to push through a male contraceptive pill as they said: “The lack of contraceptive alternatives for men is partially responsible for the high rate of unplanned pregnancies and contributes to the ethical, social and financial costs associated with abortions and deliveries to single mothers.”

Scientists at Monash University in Melbourne say that their findings mean that a pill could be produced that actually kills off the ability of sperm to swim efficiently, living them twiddling their thumbs instead of arriving at their unwanted destination! Furthermore, their findings could also shed some more light on potential factors behind male infertility.

In what seems to be common practice for laboratory tests these days, Lead researcher Professor Moira O’Bryan and her team chose mice to be their subjects for analysis. The team devised a mutation in a gene that is named ‘RABL2’. This gene works at transmitting protein fuel to the engine (known as the axoneme) in a sperm’s tail in mice.

This engineered mutation then led to a reduction in the size of sperm tails by 17% of their ‘normal’ size, and a 50% decrease in the production of sperm.

Most interestingly perhaps was that it was found these particular mice with the mutated gene were left infertile and their sperm were prevented from swimming or moving about anywhere.
Professor O’Bryan says, “They weren’t wriggling or going anywhere, they were just twitching. With this mutation, we get motors that don’t work properly. To be fertile, sperm need motility or swimming ability.”

O’Bryan worked together with fellow scientists from the University of Newcastle, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of Cambridge for the research. The next step now will be crafting a male contraceptive pill that will work to restrict the RABL2 gene instead of changing or damaging it forever.

Professor O’Bryan continued, “The challenge with developing the male pill isn’t rendering the sperm infertile but turning them back on again.”

The biggest hurdle it seems now for the scientists to overcome is the fact RABL2 is also located in other tissues such as those in the brain, kidneys and liver in lower concentrations. Therefore a male contraceptive pill would have to be constructed in a complex way that has an inhibitor specialised for the testes and will not affect other areas of the body.

Perhaps another hurdle to whether or not male contraceptive pills fully take-off, is if women actually trust the man to take it! This is a subject Medical Specialists Pharmacy looked at briefly in our story mentioned earlier. In addition, it is unknown just when a male pill will even be available. Various studies have been conducted in the last few years but it seems nobody has come forth with a definitive date of release. In the meantime, men could simply opt for the tried and test contraceptive method of condoms, which boast a 98% effectiveness rate. For women, the female birth control pill Dianette has an incredible 99% effective at fulfilling its purpose.

At Medical Specialists Pharmacy, men are already spoilt for choice when it comes to their contraceptive needs. In regards to condoms, Durex and Skins in particularly have an impressive range of weird and wonderful condoms to suit his and her preferences. Some condoms are ultra-thin to the extent you can barely feel it, others are designed to have a ‘tingling’ effect for maximum pleasure, whereas there are also even condoms that come in luscious flavours such as chocolate. If all this isn’t enough, a Durex play vibration ring can be used in conjunction with a condom to add to the pleasure!
Make sure to keep checking the Medical Specialists website for further news, developments and the latest products. We are constantly updating our huge product base and in the next few weeks we will also hope to add Marvelon and Yasmin; two additional female oral contraceptive pills that can also help to fight acne.