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202501 Effects of Contraception as Treatment for Gynecologic Disorders

Program seeks Council approval for an initiative titled “Effects of contraception as treatment for gynecologic disorders.” The roughly 100 US-marketed contraceptives are used safely by most people for contraception. However, many of the products are used long-term, often off-label, to treat gynecologic conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and fibroids, which affect millions of US women.

The common theme across these indications is a lack of specific treatments, though hormonal contraceptives are typically used, but there are scant data on the effectiveness of different hormonal products and regimens.

The goals of this initiative are 1.) to suggest treatment guidelines to aid patient outcomes and satisfaction while generating data to drive best practices and 2.) obtain insight into drivers of contraceptive choice in treating gynecologic conditions. The current scientific literature is inadequate as to relative effectiveness of contraceptive treatments in the context of optimizing gynecologic disease outcomes. This initiative would address the current lack of supporting data and rigor.

This proposed concept aligns with NICHD Strategic Themes 2 and 5, an NICHD aspirational goal, a cross-cutting topic of health disparities and a Contraception Research Branch programmatic priority.

Program Contact

Leigh Allen
Contraception Research Branch (CRB)

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