Contraceptive pills are slowly giving way to a new kind of product which claims to have the same if not better results. The new research findings have brought out a gel which when applied can work as effectively as the birth control pills. For all those who used to remain nervous of having missed a pill can now get to have an easy solution which is however more easy to handle too. The cream has been developed at the Population Council research centre in New York and is expected to be widely available in the next few years.

The gel can be applied in small amount in the arms, legs, shoulders or abdomen once a day. This ensures the women that they are not going to get pregnant. Moreover, the gel is supposedly devoid of any kind of side effects that usually accompanies the pill. It does not cause vomiting tendency, depression or does not enhance weight loss.

Experts are of the opinion that self-conscious women will like this product a lot. The cream, called Nestorone Estradial, may also be preferable for the many other women who dislike having to remember to take a pill once a day. The gel contains a combination of sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone  -  the chemicals found in most forms of the Pill.

But it contains a different type of progesterone - called Nestorone - which in early trials caused far fewer side effects. Dr Ruth Merkatz, from the Population Council, said: 'From this small study we found it was effective in preventing pregnancy, but we need to test it over longer periods of time.

The gel is quickly absorbed by the skin and oestrogen and progesterone are quickly released in the body. This interferes with the normal pattern of the body producing oestrogen and progesterone and it prevent pregnancy. It is much like the pill and the use of the gel should be stopped during the seven days of any month when the woman is having her pregnancy.

However there is one major disadvantage of this gel. The first point to be noted about this gel is that it is visible and thus it can often become embarrassing for women who go have to go out for work. The second major disadvantage of this gel is that it can fall off easily. This can also be a bit dangerous as the falling off of the gel can invite problems for the woman who has preferably not taken the pill for her safety.