What is the effectiveness of spermicide?

Spermicide used alone has a high failure rate of 28% for typical users. This means that in 1 year, 28 out of 100 women who use spermicide as their only method of birth control get pregnant. The perfect use failure rate is still high, at 18% (18 out of 100 women).

Does spermicide make condoms less effective?

The spermicide most often used on condoms is nonoxynol-9. When used perfectly, condoms can protect against pregnancy 98 percent of the time. There is no current data indicating that condoms coated with spermicide are more effective at protecting against pregnancy than those without.

Does spermicide work immediately?

Most must be placed in the vagina at least 10 to 15 minutes before sex so they have enough time to dissolve and spread. Many forms of spermicides are effective for only 1 hour after they are inserted. More spermicide should be used if more than 1 hour passes before sex, or if a couple is going to have sex again.

What are the disadvantages of a spermicide?

Spermicide doesn’t offer any protection against STDs. And using spermicide several times a day can actually increase your risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. That’s because the chemical in spermicide can irritate your vagina and make it easier for STD germs to enter your body.

Can spermicide cause birth defects?

Many studies have shown that the use of vaginal spermicides does not increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage.

Why do spermicides fail?

Other reasons for the failure of spermicides are ejaculation before the spermicide has dispersed (sperm can reach the cervix in 90 s or less), coitus without reapplication of the spermicide, and lack of use during the “safe” period of the menstrual cycle.

How long does spermicide last in the body?

One dose of spermicide usually lasts 1 hour. For repeated sex, use additional spermicide. After sex, the spermicide has to remain in place for 6-8 hours to make sure the sperm are killed.

How long does spermicide stay in the body?

Does spermicide leak out?

One of the most common complaints about spermicide is that it is messy, and it may leak out of the vagina. Spermicide may also irritate the penis, vagina, and/or surrounding skin. This irritation may make it easier to become infected with a sexually transmitted infection.

Why are spermicides bad?

Keep in mind that spermicides provide no protection at all against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In fact, they may even increase your risk of contracting STDs because spermicidal chemicals can irritate your skin, leaving you more vulnerable to infection.

Does spermicide affect future fertility?

Advantages of spermicides They do not affect future fertility for either the woman or the man. They are used only at the time of sexual intercourse. They are safe to use while breastfeeding (birth control that contains estrogen affects milk supply). They are less expensive than hormonal methods of birth control.

What happens if you use spermicide while pregnant?

Will the fetus be harmed if a woman accidentally uses spermicides while she is pregnant? No. Good evidence shows that spermicides will not cause birth defects or otherwise harm the fetus if a woman becomes pregnant while using spermicides or accidentally uses spermicides when she is already pregnant.