The makers of a contraceptive that can be turned on and off at the push of a button hope the device will be available to the public by 2018.
The pregnancy-preventing microchip is implanted under a woman's skin and can be used every day for up to 16 years — that's longer than copper IUDs, which can last up to 10 years, and hormonal IUDs, which usually last five. The device delivers 30 micrograms of levonorgestrel, a synthetic hormone, daily and has a remote control so it can be turned on and off. "That provides a certain convenience factor for those who are planning their family," Dr. Robert Farra of MIT told the BBC.
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