Study of a COX-2 Inhibitor for Prevention of Ovulation

Summary

In this study the investigators propose to evaluate a COX-2 inhibitor(meloxicam) to assess its effect on follicular development and find out if this regimen delays or blocks ovulation while maintaining ovarian cyclicity. The investigators intend to administer 15 mg or 30 mg of meloxicam per day for 18 days starting on day 5 after onset of menses during 3 continuous cycles. The 3 treatment cycles will be preceded and followed by control cycles with no treatment. Ovulation or lack there of will be monitored by transvaginal ultrasound examinations (TVUs), estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), and progesterone levels in multiple blood samples in each cycle. The investigators will recruit a total of 56 women. Each woman will be randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 dose regimens of meloxicam, with 28 women assigned to each of the 2 dose regimens. Participating women will demonstrate an ovulatory cycle before starting meloxicam treatment and will be protected from pregnancy by prior sterilization.

Timeline

Start

2011-01

Primary completion

2011-04

Completion

2011-09

Publications

• Background Jesam C, Salvatierra AM, Schwartz JL, Croxatto HB. Suppression of follicular rupture with meloxicam, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor: potential for emergency contraception. Hum Reprod. 2010 Feb;25(2):368-73. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dep392. Epub 2009 Nov 19.
• Background Bata MS, Al-Ramahi M, Salhab AS, Gharaibeh MN, Schwartz J. Delay of ovulation by meloxicam in healthy cycling volunteers: A placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study. J Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Aug;46(8):925-32. doi: 10.1177/0091270006289483.
• Jesam C, Salvatierra AM, Schwartz JL, Fuentes A, Croxatto HB. Effect of oral administration of a continuous 18 day regimen of meloxicam on ovulation: experience of a randomized controlled trial. Contraception. 2014 Aug;90(2):168-73. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2014.04.011. Epub 2014 May 5.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.