New patch could offer birth control over the course of a month

A new patch could one day offer another contraceptive option for women looking for a longer-term choice. Nearly half of all U.S. pregnancies are unplanned, and current options often come with a host of side effects. Researchers devised a patch with microneedles to deliver low doses of the hormone levonorgestrel. An initial test in rats found that the patch delivered the hormone through the skin for more than a month. A follow-up in 10 women found that they were able to apply a non-hormonal version of the patch relatively easily. Focus group discussions and interviews with other women revealed that a majority of participants liked that the patch could be self-applied and offered an alternative to daily birth control pills. Researchers hope to now test in women versions of the patch that include monthlong or even six-month-long doses.