|
Birth Control Methods |
||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Answers to frequently asked questions about choices in contraceptives |
||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Adapted by Tracee Cornforth Are there any contraceptive creams or lotions?Vaginal spermicides are available in foam, cream, jelly, film, suppository, or tablet forms. All types contain a sperm-killing chemical. Studies have not produced definitive data on the efficacy of spermicides alone, but according to the authors of Contraceptive Technology, a leading resource for contraceptive information, the failure rate for typical users may be 21 percent per year. Package instructions must be carefully followed because some spermicide products require the couple to wait 10 minutes or more after inserting the spermicide before having sex. One dose of spermicide is usually effective for one hour. For repeated intercourse, additional spermicide must be applied. And after intercourse, the spermicide has to remain in place for at least six to eight hours to ensure that all sperm are killed. The woman should not douche or rinse the vagina during this time. Contraceptives Resource Center <<<Return
to Birth Control FAQs
Index
>>>Next
Page
Adapted from the United States Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services
|
||||||||||||
