Gene therapy has been around for decades, but in recent years scientists have been exploring its potential for long-term contraception in women. A new study has demonstrated that gene therapy can be used to safely and effectively provide contraception in female mice for up to eight months.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, used a combination of gene therapy and a hormone-based contraceptive to induce fertility control in female mice. The gene therapy involved delivering a gene encoding a protein called GnRH antagonist to the ovaries of the mice. This protein binds to GnRH receptors in the ovaries, which helps to prevent ovulation. The hormone-based contraceptive, on the other hand, helps to inhibit gonadotropin secretion, which helps to stop the development of follicles in the ovaries.

Combined, these two methods successfully prevented ovulation in the female mice for up to eight months. The results of the study suggest that gene therapy could be used to provide long-term contraception in women, and could potentially be a safe, effective, and reliable method of fertility control.

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source: Phys.org