Europe has approved its first saliva-based contraceptive, with the Minilab device offering a hormone-free alternative to traditional birth control through daily progesterone testing.
Developed by Berlin-based startup Inne, the at-home device tracks hormone changes in saliva to identify fertile and non-fertile days during the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is a hormone that rises and falls in distinct patterns across different phases of the cycle.
Approval was granted by the British Standards Institution, one of Europe’s leading medical device regulators, following a clinical study involving 300 women over 1,500 menstrual cycles.
The study found the device to be 100 per cent effective with perfect use and 92 per cent effective with typical use.
These rates are similar to those of the progesterone-only pill and exceed those of condoms, according to NHS data.
However, the study has not been peer-reviewed and the sample size is small compared with research into more established contraceptive methods.
Eirini Rapti, Inne’s founder and chief executive, said in a recent interview that the technology offers an alternative to hormonal contraceptives and their potential side effects.
Rapti said: “Once you’re off the pill, the first thing you do is start understanding your body — how you feel, how you respond.
“You stop experiencing things like weight gain, migraines, and low libido. And suddenly, you see women really come alive, thinking, ‘Oh, so this is what I actually feel like’.”
The device had previously been available as a fertility tracker to assist conception but has now received regulatory approval for contraceptive use.
Inne joins a growing list of digital contraception options.
Apps such as Flo track cycles to predict fertility, while Natural Cycles uses daily temperature readings to map hormonal patterns.
Rapti said saliva-based testing offers a more consistent measure.
She said: “Period and temperature trackers rely on patterns or symptoms, but your body isn’t always predictable.
“Temperature can fluctuate for many other reasons, like if you’re sick or going through perimenopause.
“Inne looks at what’s actually happening with your hormones, day by day — it’s just more precise.”
Rapti added: “It won’t be everyone’s first choice, but we believe it’s a really good alternative that allows women to take back control of their bodies and their health.”
