科学家说一个月一次的避孕药对猪有效。他们想在接下来的人身上进行测试

Scientists say they have made a breakthrough on developing a contraceptive pill that only needs to be taken once a month.

科学家表示，他们在开发一种每月只需服用一次的避孕药方面取得了突破。

The star-shaped capsule could help reduce unintended pregnancies that arise from users forgetting to take their daily dose of the pill, according to a news release from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

据麻省理工学院(MIT)发布的一份新闻稿称，这种星状胶囊可以帮助减少因忘记服用每日剂量的药片而导致的意外怀孕。

The capsule is coated with gelatin that can remain in the stomach for weeks after being swallowed, the researchers said. From there, it slowly releases hormones to prevent pregnancy.

研究人员说，胶囊上有一层明胶，可以在吞咽后留在胃里数周。从那里，它慢慢地释放激素来防止怀孕。

Tests conducted on pigs showed that the capsule could provide the same effect as taking daily doses. "We are hopeful that this work -- the first example ever of a month-long pill or capsule to our knowledge -- will someday lead to potentially new modalities and options for women's health," said Robert Langer, a MIT professor and co-author of the study.

在猪身上进行的试验表明，这种胶囊可以提供与每日服用相同的效果。麻省理工学院(MIT)教授、该研究的合著者罗伯特·兰格表示:“我们希望这项研究——据我们所知，这是迄今为止第一个长达一个月的药片或胶囊的研究——有朝一日将为女性健康带来潜在的新模式和新选择。”

Human trials

人体试验

The research was mostly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which urged the team to develop new long-lasting contraceptive drugs to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancies.

这项研究主要由比尔和梅琳达·盖茨基金会资助，该基金会敦促研究小组开发新的长效避孕药物，以降低意外怀孕的风险。

To make it work, researchers looked for materials that could survive a highly acidic fluid. Once the capsule reaches the stomach, it expands and becomes lodged in place.

为了使其发挥作用，研究人员寻找能够在高酸性流体中存活的材料。一旦胶囊到达胃部，它就会膨胀并滞留在适当的位置。

The capsule is designed to break down after three or four weeks, and will exit the body through the digestive tract.

这种胶囊被设计成在三到四周后分解，然后通过消化道排出体外。

Langer said further research is being conducted to develop the pill for human tests, which he hoped would be possible within three to five years.

兰格说，目前正在进行进一步的研究，以开发用于人体测试的药片，他希望在三到五年内能够实现。

Effective method

有效的方法

The oral contraceptive is one of the most popular contraception methods used around the world. In the United States, it is the second most common contraceptive method for women aged between 15 and 49, according to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

口服避孕药是世界上最流行的避孕方法之一。据美国疾病控制与预防中心的一项调查显示，在美国，这是年龄在15岁至49岁之间的女性使用的第二大避孕方法。

It is also highly effective -- when used properly, fewer than one in every hundred women will become pregnant in a year, according to nonprofit group Planned Parenthood. However, the effectiveness rate is closer to 91%, as close to one-third of users have reported missing their dose during a menstrual cycle, the CDC says.

据非营利性组织“计划生育”称，如果使用得当，它也是非常有效的，每年怀孕的女性不到百分之一。然而，美国疾病控制与预防中心说，药物的有效性接近91%，因为近三分之一的服用者报告在月经周期期间没有服用药物。

Kimberly Scarsi, a professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Nebraska, who is unaffiliated with the research, said she believed the new pill could help reduce the lack of access to contraceptives, which has given rise to unnecessary maternal and newborn deaths.

内布拉斯加大学的药学实践教授金伯利·斯卡尔西没有参与这项研究，她说，她相信这种新药丸可以帮助减少避孕药具的缺乏（现状），而这种缺乏导致了孕妇和新生儿不必要的死亡。

"A once-monthly oral contraceptive would provide a discreet, noninvasive birth control option that could significantly improve medication adherence to give women more control over their health and family planning decisions," she said.

她说:“每月一次的口服避孕药将提供一种谨慎的、非侵入性的节育选择，可以显著提高服药依从性，让妇女更多地控制自己的健康和计划生育决策。”