Birth control implant gets a new home: the shoulder blade
NCT ID NCT07201402
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 28, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study is testing whether the etonogestrel contraceptive implant can be placed under the skin near the shoulder blade instead of the usual upper arm spot. Researchers will check hormone levels and side effects in 62 women over two years. The goal is to see if this alternative site works just as well and is safe.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- etonogestrel contraceptive implant
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a new, convenient insertion site for the contraceptive implant, potentially improving comfort and acceptance.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small Phase 2 study with only 62 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The alternative site might have different side effects or lower effectiveness.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 62 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2026
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 45 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form 2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study 3. Sex assigned at birth must be Female 4. Aged 18-45 years 5. In good general health as evidenced by medical history and no need for regular intensive medical interventions (e.g., inpatient admissions, surgical treatments). The Principal Investigator will be responsible for determining good general health for potential participants with complicated medical histories 6. Interest and willingness to use an etonogestrel contraceptive implant 7. Negative pregnancy test at the time of study enrollment and not planning to become pregnant in the next 36 months 8. Willing to abstain from medications and supplements known to induce/inhibit CYP3A (e.g., rifampin, carbamazepine, ketoconazole, St. John's wort) during the study. In the inducer/inhibitor CYP3A medication is a prescribed medication, individuals must provide the prescriber information for the PI to confirm it is safe for this medication to be abstained during the study 9. Body-mass index ≥18.5kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria: 1. Self-reported contraindications to the use of the ENG implant based on the CDC Medical Eligibility Criteria guidelines for any conditions with a category 3 or 4 recommendation 1. Current breast cancer or personal history of breast cancer 2. Malignant liver tumor (hepatocellular carcinoma) 3. Allergic reaction to any components of the ENG implant 2. Any self-reported known liver conditions that could affect drug metabolism (e.g., cirrhosis, hepatitis) 3. Personal history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), venous thromboembolism (VTE), or arterial thromboembolism (ATE). 4. Currently taking and unable or unwilling to abstain from any medications or supplements known to be CYP3A inducers/inhibitors. 5. Current use of a progestin-only contraceptive method containing desogestrel or etonogestrel 6. History of spinal deformity (e.g., kyphosis, lordosis) 7. History of shoulder or scapular surgery on the non-dominant side 8. Non-dominant shoulder mobility limitations 9. Previous trauma to the non-dominant scapular region 10. Active skin conditions (e.g., psoriasis) in the non-dominant scapular region 11. Inability to palpate the bony landmarks of the scapula due to adiposity or other body habitus
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
RECRUITINGAurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
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Yale University School of Medicine
RECRUITINGNew Haven, Connecticut, 06520, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Watching the IUD go in: can a camera make contraception safer?
- Patch tested to block pregnancy
- Can a polymer block tubes without surgery? a trial investigates
- Can a redesigned IUD inserter make birth control safer and easier?
- Texts and local mentors: a new way to empower teen girls on contraception?
- Could a single implant replace the morning-after pill?