In vivo assessment of the human sperm acrosome reaction and the expression of glycodelin-A in human endometrium after levonorgestrel-emergency contraceptive pill administration.

Background: The objectives were firstly to assess acrosome reaction (AR) status of spermatozoa following uterine flushing, secondly to measure levonorgestrel (LNG) levels in serum and in uterine flushing fluid and finally to measure endometrial glycodelin-A expression after administration of LNG as a form of emergency contraception (EC).

Methods: Forty-eight experiments were conducted on 15 regularly menstruating women. Four groups were formed based on different intercourse to treatment interval and treatment to recovery of spermatozoa and the biopsies.

Vaginal safety after use of a bioadhesive, acid-buffering, microbicidal contraceptive gel (ACIDFORM) and a 2% nonoxynol-9 product.

Background: ACIDFORM is a microbicidal and contraceptive candidate with strong buffering capacity.

Methods: This was a Phase I blinded, randomized and crossover clinical study on two products, ACIDFORM and a commercial nonoxynol-9 (N-9) product (2%), evaluating their vaginal safety in 20 couples aged between 19 and 45 years. The women had regular menses, underwent previous tubal ligation, were not breast-feeding, had no vaginal sign and symptom and were in a stable partnership; both partners had no previous STI.

Postcoital testing after the use of a bio-adhesive acid buffering gel (ACIDFORM) and a 2% nonoxynol-9 product.

ACIDFORM is a gel already shown to be safe in vaginal use during six consecutive days through colposcopic observation. A randomized, blinded, crossover study was carried out to compare the spermicidal effect of ACIDFORM to that of a commercial 2% nonoxynol-9 (N-9) product. Twenty sexually active, sterilized women, aged 19-45 years, with regular cycles, normal gynecological exam, no previous sexually transmitted infection (STI) and stable partner willing to undergo four postcoital tests (PCTs) at midcycle during four different menstrual cycles, were enrolled in the study.