Lunch @UCBerkeley with Polina Lishko – The world needs better contraceptives

Lunch @UCBerkeley with Polina Lishko – The world needs better contraceptives

Of the 1.7 billion women who are of childbearing age worldwide, roughly 57 percent use various contraceptive options. Unfortunately, almost a quarter of these women will discontinue using their method of birth control within the first year, mainly because of the side effects. More than 54 percent of men will discontinue using condoms within the same timeline. Common side effects of conventional steroid-based contraceptives include ovarian cysts, bleeding, nausea, abdominal/pelvic pain, depression, mood changes, nervousness and acne, among others. Some of these side effects result from steroid hormones affecting other basic physiological functions. A nonhormonal contraceptive without side effect is an attractive alternative, especially if it can be used by both men and women. Recent research on molecular pathways that allow sperm to fertilize an egg identified novel, unique targets for the development of unisex contraceptives. Using novel molecular tools, researchers can look deeper into the sperm and egg organization to eventually reveal hidden secrets. See Lishko lab at https://mcb.berkeley.edu/labs/lishko/home.

#contraceptives

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