CLEVELAND -- Cleveland's University Hospitals is one of a handful of locations across the country where some major birth control studies are going to take place, reported NewsChannel5 health team reporter Alicia Booth.

Dr. James Liu, of University Hospitals, secured millions of dollars in funding for cutting edge birth control research.

It may seem like there are a ton of contraceptives to choose from, but there has been very little new development in contraception over the last 20 years.

There is the birth control pill, and different ways of delivering the pill, but no real new approaches, reported Booth.

The contraceptive ring, a birth control pill that gives a woman her period once a season, and the birth control patch are all relatively new concepts.

However, what these forms of contraception don't do, and what troubles the medical community most, is prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Only condoms are good at that.

This could change, though. University Hospitals is going to test a new spermacide with the ability to kill HIV. If it's successful, it will be a monumental development, reported Booth.

University Hospitals is now recruiting couples to get involved in the groundbreaking studies.

The spermacide study to prevent HIV will not put participants at risk for AIDS -- University Hospitals is only testing the birth control part of that.

If you are interested in being part of the study, or want more information, contact University Hospitals at (440) 995-3805.