Western researchers set their eyes on innovating contraceptive technology

Samantha Gateman, chemistry professor, is determined to find an alternative solution to contraception with challenging side effects. (Darryl Lahteenmaa/Western Communications)

Researchers at Western University are working to change the contraceptive game as we know it.

What’s turned into an interdisciplinary research project started when chemistry professor Samantha Gateman noticed a gap in birth control options, “I had tried various hormonal contraceptives and had really bad experiences,” Gateman said. “I was looking for something long-term but non-hormonal. The only option available was the copper IUD, which previous research has shown has a whole sleeve of negative side effects.”

Non-hormonal IUDs are known to cause pelvic pain and stomach cramps, among other symptoms. The oxidizing copper ions present in the device which enable it to serve its purpose, also have the unfortunate side effect of inflammation.

Now, researchers at Western are working to create gentler alternative to the well known copper IUD, an iron iteration.

The challenge of the material, is its size limitation, said Gateman, “other metals like iron or zinc corrode faster than copper, which means IUDs made of these metals would have to be bigger to last as long, making them uncomfortable.”

The project is a collaborative effort between medical practitioners, chemists, social scientists and experts in women and gender studies.

The team is not only interested in providing a better alternative, Kate Choi, professor of sociology said “we want to ensure that once developed, the new IUD is a safe and affordable contraceptive option for all individuals with contraceptive needs, including those from marginalized communities,” she said.

Creating low cost, low barrier contraception is not only helpful for those seeking alternatives to traditional methods, but especially prudent in today’s climate, “given the legislative changes affecting women’s reproductive rights in many places like the U.S. and Poland, having long-term, low-maintenance contraception is increasingly important,” Choi said.

Dean Betts, a Schulich Medicine & Dentistry professor, is working to use synthetic embryos to study the effects of corrosive metal, he highlighted how vital collaboration would be to the project’s success, “I have no expertise in metal corrosion, and the chemists have limited knowledge of embryology. But together, we create something special.”

Gateman says that she’s looking to the future, “this project started as a passion and has the potential to make a significant difference.”