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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-30-2004
Options
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Fri, 04-30-2004 - 3:00pm
Hi,

I am thinking about stopping the pill after having used it for over 8years. Originally I started because my periods were not regular, but now have grown used to the reliability of it for birth control.

Anyway, we want to see if my body "knows" what do do after all this time. But we still need options. We use condoms about 80% of the time, but need another option. It's been narrowed down to the sponge or the diapragm.

I am looking for opinions or options we might have over looked. Also, once the diaphragm or sponge is in place, my partner shouldn't be using his fingers in my vagina, correct?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
In reply to: megan19792004
Fri, 04-30-2004 - 4:34pm
Hi megan19792004, welcome!

Take a look at the information on diaphragms and cervical caps in the Board FAQs at http://pages.ivillage.com/cl-judie_rae/id1.html I wear a cap as my primary means of BC and use a diaphragm for contraception and flow control during menses and I am very pleased with how well they work for me. A diaphragm or cap requires being fitted by a medical professional.

The sponge can be purchased at a pharmacy or over the Internet and no fitting is required. Its effectiveness isn’t as high as a diaphragm or cap and if you use them often they can get expensive. I have tried the sponge and it moved around too much to suit me.

As far as fingers in the vagina are concerned; the hands should be washed first and you should always check immediately before and immediately after IC to ensure that the sponge, diaphragm or cap is covering your cervix.

While the dome of a barrier is pretty resilient you should be careful of sharp nails that might nick or cut it and you don’t want to do anything that could release the vacuum behind the dome of a diaphragm or cap or move the sponge off your cervix, especially after IC. If I were you I would limit finger play, if any, to the area just inside the vaginal entrance. Let us know what you decide, ok?

Good luck

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-30-2004
In reply to: megan19792004
Fri, 04-30-2004 - 5:58pm
Jill, thanks for the info!

On further reseach on this board I've noticed a lot of talk about a ring. What is this where can it be purchased? A lot of good things have been said about it.

Also, I thought IUD's were for women who had had children already. I see a few responses from people who have no kids and are using it. Can someone clarify this?

Thanks,

Megs

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
In reply to: megan19792004
Fri, 04-30-2004 - 6:38pm
The ring is NuvaRing a vaginal ring worn for three weeks and removed for one, for your period. The NuvaRing website is http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp?

More and more doctors are willing to insert IUDs for women who have not had children. There is a slightly higher incidence of expulsion of the IUD for women who haven’t given birth over those who have. In the 1970s there was concern about affecting the IUD wearer’s fertility due to problems with a poorly designed IUD, the Dalkon Shield. Today’s IUDs are far safer but the medical community is conservative ("First, do no harm.") which is a good thing and has a long memory.

      Jill