Researchers deliver birth control via contraceptive jewellery

The contraceptive hormones are first applied to patches, then attached to earrings before being absorbed by the skin

Spotted: Researchers have developed a technique for administering contraceptive hormones through jewellery. The hormones are first applied to patches, which are then attached to the jewellery. Once it is in contact with skin, the hormones are absorbed into the body.

The system adapts transdermal patches, which are currently used to administer motion sickness and other drugs, to be applied to earring backings. It consists of three layers – an impermeable adhesive to hold the patch in place, a middle layer containing the contraceptive, and an outer layer to help it stick to the skin and aid the transfer of the hormone. To be effective, the earring back would need to be changed regularly.

The team out of the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology envisions the hormones being applied to universal earring backings, which could be paired with various types of earrings.