The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Phexxi – a contraceptive gel for the prevention of pregnancy in women with reproductive potential. This is expected to be available in September.
This new method will give more options to females to choose from when it comes to preventing pregnancy as there’s no single birth control measure that works for every woman.
So it is always better to have more and safer options. The best birth control method for a woman depends on various factors like ease of use, someone’s reproductive plans, and potential side effects. So it is very important for women to know about prescription birth control gel. Here we are going to tell you about the important things about it.
- Phexxi, according to Evofem Biosciences Inc., is an on-demand, non-hormonal vaginal pH regulator contraceptive designed to maintain vaginal pH within the normal range of 3.5 to 4.5. This creates an acidic environment that is inhospitable to sperm, according to the gel’s maker.
- Phexxi must be self-administered intravaginally up to an hour before intercourse. If no vaginal intercourse happens within an hour of using the gel, it must be applied again before intercourse. It must be noted that it doesn’t prevent pregnancy if applied after sexual intercourse.
- Evofem states effective of Phexxi depend on how perfectly you are following the directions to use it. Around 1,400 women were enrolled at 115 study centres. Results showed that a typical use showed efficacy of 86.3 percent. “Additionally, a subset analysis of 1,003 women evaluated for efficacy in the AMPOWER trial showed that when used as prescribed (aka perfect use), pregnancy rates following seven cycles of Phexxi ranged from 90 percent to 93.3 percent efficacy,” a report said.
- According to experts, Phexxi could be an appropriate solution for women open to alternatives to hormonal contraception.
- Currently approved gel can trigger some side effects vaginal burning and itching, urinary tract infection (UTI), vulvovaginal pain or discomfort, bacterial vaginosis, or genital discomfort. However, the company said the events decreased with each consecutive cycle.