Condom Alternatives

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Condom Alternatives
5
Mon, 10-04-2004 - 11:29pm
Hi everyone,

My partner and I have always relied on both the pill and condoms for protection. We are just about fed up with using condoms. I do like the peace of mind it gives me to use additional birth control (on top of using the pill). I'm interested in tring contraceptive foam or jelly. I have lots of questions!! Has anyone here tried these? What brands did you like best? Also, what brands are there that offer a large "window of opportunity"? I've heard that some are effective for up to six hours after insertion. I like the idea of being a little more spontaneous (another reason we want to ditch condoms). We have tried using condoms with spermicide in the past and I was really sensitive to it, so do you think that I will be sensitive to foam or cream as well? Also, most importantly, what percentage effectiveness does foam or jelly have? I've been finding conflicting numbers on this. Thanks for any advice!

Stacey

PS - If anyone has any other ideas for alternatives to using condoms (besides foam or gel) please let me know. I'm open to anything. I would like something I can buy at the local drug store though. Thanks!


Edited 10/4/2004 11:52 pm ET ET by estakia

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 7:24am
If you're looking for something you can buy at the drugstore besides condoms, spermicides are about it!

If you're in the US, there's only one chemical spermicide that's available--nonoxynol-9. If you have a reaction to N-9, you may have a problem with the chemical spermicides on the market, but different types of applications may have different strengths. For example, a spermicide intended for use with a diaphragm may have a lower concentration of N-9 than, say, vaginal contraceptive film, which has a high concentration but a small amount.

You can use a foam, a spermicidal insert (Semicid or Encare), a film (VCF), or a gel/cream. But you'll have to read the directions on the box to see what your window of opportunity would be. I've used Conceptrol gel in prefilled applicators, and that requires that you have sex within 30 minutes of application for maximum (estimated about 85%) effectiveness. And then there's the ooze factor....after sex, my experience has been that the gel is kind of drippy. VCF can be hard to insert, the idea is that you put this little square of film on your cervix and your own moisture will activate it, so there's very little quantity and no drippiness, but we've had members say that it irritated them or their partner.

If you're going on the internet to buy stuff, you might be able to find a different chemical in spermicides, but for the life of me I can't remember what the alternatives are! The sponge is also available over the internet, but they're kind of pricey and rather than being a barrier, it just serves as a receptacle for spermicide so the effectiveness is no more than using spermicide alone, it's just a little handier.

You've got a few options! You might want to find a low-traffic time at a drugstore and just read boxes for a little while...

Good luck!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 10:21am
The best type of spermicide I've found in terms of how easy it is to use is VCF film. It says you can insert it up to 3 hours ahead of time and no less than 15 minutes beforehand. It doesn't make a mess like the foam tends to do. I don't know how effective it is exactly though, but if it's only a backup then maybe that doesn't matter too much to you. I've seen widely varying statistics on spermicidal products. Everything at the store tends to say 94% effective if used perfectly, typical use is usually quoted as closer to 20-26% failure rates. Some studies though have reported failure rates as high as 50%, with the lowest rates on the products with the highest amounts of the active ingredient. Unfortunately, most spermicidal products don't tell you exactly how much of the active ingredient is in there.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 11:58am
Actually, I think it's a requirement (in the U.S.) that the ingredients be listed on the packaging. All the spermicides that I've seen have the amount of active ingredient(s) listed on the box. As Judie said, Nonoxynol-9 (N9) is the only active ingredient in spermicides sold in the U.S. Typically, 2% N9 is effective when used with diaphragms and caps. There are some 3.5% and 7.5% N9 ones formulated for use by themselves (w/o a barrier) and VCF, because of it's small size, has 28% N9 in it. The higher the percent N9, the more likely the user is to have an allergic reaction to it.

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 7:15pm
I bought some VCF today to see how I liked it. I decided to try it out during a time that I know that I won't be having sex. I stuck it in and all is good so far! Yay! My only problem is that I'm not super knowledgeable about my own anatomy. The film is supposed to be placed on my cervix. How do I know if I did it right? To me, it (presumably my cervix) felt kinda like a smooth rounded thing. It didn’t seem to be as far to reach as I thought it would be though. My longest finger (middle) wasn't even inserted all the way (almost though). I know everyone is different, but does that sound about right?? I think I did o.k. and I'm really excited about the idea of not using condoms anymore.

By the way, thanks for sharing your experiences and offering good advice. I appreciate it!

Stacey

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 10-06-2004 - 7:48am
Your cervix should feel like the end of your nose with a dimple in the middle. It's the only thing in there that you'll find other than a smooth and sometimes bumpy (right around your pubic bone) vaginal wall.

I hope it works well for you!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control