The jury is still out, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that the final decision will be that Enovid is an effective barrier against COVID-19 infection of pregnant women. Enovid is an antiviral that introduces NONS (nitric oxide nasal spray) as a physical barrier in the nasal passages that stops 99% of viruses before they pass through to the lungs.Â
Until now, there may have been some thought that it’s better to avoid using Enovid when a woman is pregnant. It’s not that there is any evidence that there are possible dangers. It’s just that until now, there have not been sufficient tests on the possible side effects in pregnant women.Â
Why is Enovid not currently approved for expectant mothers?
Medications that require FDA approval (and that can then only be sold by a pharmacy after prescription by a doctor) have to undergo many cycles of double-blind tests with specified target conditions and patient profiles. They must then report all of the recorded side effects and contra-indications and clearly label the drug so that people can know the dangers.
In the case of Enovid, there has been no need for this depth of testing, both because it is an over-the-counter medication that can be sold without prescription, and also because the volume of the only pharmaceutical ingredient (nitric oxide) in a single dose is so tiny that it is far lower than the specifications that the FDA sets for listing in ingredients. As a result, the only relevant thing is the wording on the website and in the official pamphlet that comes with each Enovid that “nitric oxide nasal spray has not been studied in pregnant women.”
What part does nitric oxide play in the Enovid shield against COVID-19?
Enovid’s NONS (nitric oxide nasal spray), developed by SaNOtize, a joint Canadian/Israeli biotechnology startup, blocks the entry of viruses via the nose and halts viral replication within the nasal cavity. It rapidly reduces the total viral load, which otherwise can kick off the spread of the virus in your body. Its overall effect is to prevent transmission and lower the severity of infection. Enovid has proven to be effective in trials so far, regardless of the variant.
Nitric oxide interferes with mRNA transcription and replication by inhibiting either viral ribonucleotide or viral RNA synthesis. Enovid works to kill the virus before it has a chance to pass into the lungs and replicate.
Nitric oxide is not itself an ingredient in Enovid. It is produced in minute quantities within each spray, thanks to the innovative technology developed by SaNOtize.Â
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