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Influences of Long-acting Reversible Contraceptives on Iron Status and Physiological Responses to Extreme Environments in Women

NCT06909695 · Status: RECRUITING · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 33

Last updated 2026-04-30

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Over recent years, military service women have shown increasing interest in utilizing long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs; i.e., implants or intrauterine devices, IUDs). While clinically, LARC have been proven safe and effective at preventing pregnancy \& decreasing menstrual symptoms, it is unclear what impact this type of contraceptive may have on physiological responses to extreme environments (heat, cold and high altitude). Additionally, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are prevalent in U.S. military women which likely affect health and performance. There is evidence to suggest that the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia is lower in women utilizing LARCs, which preserve iron stores, likely due to reduced menstrual blood loss that compounds with each cycle over the course of months. Due to the increasing interest in the utilization of LARCs it is important to understand what, if any, impact these methods of contraception may have on a female Soldier's physiological responses.

The overall goal of the present study is to characterize iron status and physiological responses (including but not limited to sweating, skin blood flow, ventilation, and heart rate) to extreme environmental stressors of heat, cold and high altitude (i.e. hypobaric hypoxia) in women utilizing LARCs. Up to thirty-three individuals (n=18 LARCs, n=15 monophasic oral contraceptives) will complete testing visits separated by at least 48 hours for environmental testing visits. During heat stress testing, measures of core body temperature, skin temperature, and sweat rate will be measured during a standardized protocol in hot, humid conditions. During cold stress, measures of body core temperature, metabolic heat production, skin blood flow and temperature (at both distal extremity and proximal body sites) will be assessed in order to better quantify the impact of exogenous sex hormones via LARCs and OCs in volunteers exposed to the cold. Measurements will be obtained during a standardized protocol in cold air (\~90 min; 10°C). For altitude, cardiopulmonary responses will be assessed during rest and exercise during an acute altitude exposure (4300m). Blood samples will be collected throughout the investigation in order to quantify sex hormone concentrations, iron status, and inflammatory biomarkers in response to environmental stressors. The investigators will also utilize laboratory tests (i.e., carbon monoxide (CO) rebreathing technique) and collect blood samples to quantity iron stores in these groups of women. To characterize iron status, the Soldier Performance Health and Readiness (SPHERE) epidemiological data repository will be utilized to quantify the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficient anemia diagnoses between women using LARCs and women not utilizing LARCs.

Conditions

  • Contraception
  • Iron Deficiencies

Interventions

OTHER

Blood volume and environmental testing

Testing blood volume measures, iron stores, and physiological responses to acute environmental exposures of heat, cold, and high-altitude (each environment independently)

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

    lead FED

Principal Investigators

  • Gabrielle Giersch, PhD · United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
40 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-11-01
Primary Completion
2027-09-30
Completion
2027-09-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06909695 on ClinicalTrials.gov