Barrier Methods of Contraception

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Cervical Cap

• This is a small rubber cup that fits over a woman's cervix (the bottom part of the uterus) and is held in place by suction. To do its job, the cervical cap must be used with a spermicidal cream or jelly that will kill or incapacitate sperm.
• A doctor must fit you for a cervical cap, and will show you how to use it correctly. You may need a different size after you have given birth or have gained or lost a lot of weight.
• Leave the cap in place for at least 6 to 8 hours after having sex, but no more than 48 hours. If you leave it in longer, it may develop a bad smell.
• The cap may cause changes in the cells of the cervix. Although these changes usually go away on their own, you may need medical treatment if they don't.
• Women who are allergic to rubber may not be able to use the cap.

Condom

• A condom (or rubber) is a tube-shaped piece of thin latex closed at one end. Worn over the penis, its purpose is to trap semen. Condoms not only prevent pregnancy, they also protect from infection.
• Condoms are sold rolled-up in a small packet. Unroll the condom as you put it on. Do not unroll it in advance. Use a new condom every time you come.
• Not all condoms prevent infection. Latex condoms do. Lamb skin condoms do not.
• Buy condoms that have a sperm-killing chemical called nonoxynol-9 (non-OKS-ih-noll-9). This chemical helps prevent infection as well as pregnancy.
• Even if her partner uses a condom, a woman should still use spermicide. Condoms and spermicides together do a better job of preventing pregnancy than either does alone.
• You can buy condoms from grocery stores, pharmacies, family planning clinics, and vending machines. Keep one with you at all times.

Diaphragm

• This round rubber dome fits inside a woman's vagina, blocking access to the cervix. To be effective, it must be used with a spermicidal cream or jelly.
• A doctor must fit you for a diaphragm, and will show you how to use it correctly. You may need a different size after you have given birth or have gained or lost a lot of weight.
• Leave the diaphragm in place at least 6 hours after sex.

Spermicides

• Spermicides kill or immobilize sperm, thus preventing them from reaching the egg and causing a pregnancy. They come in a variety of forms, including creams, jellies, foams, and vaginal suppositories.
• If you use a spermicidal suppository, put it into your vagina about 30 minutes before sex. To prevent pregnancy, the suppository must have time to melt and dissolve in the vagina. Other forms can be applied just before sex, or when inserting a diaphragm or cervical cap.
• Spermicides work best when combined with one of the other types of barrier contraception.
• You can buy spermicides without a prescription at grocery stores, pharmacies, and family planning clinics.

Call Your Doctor If...

• You have pain, itching, or burning during or after sex while using a barrier contraceptive. It could mean you are allergic to the spermicide or the rubber in the diaphragm, cap, or condom.

Seek Care Immediately If...

• You have had unprotected sex and want to talk to doctors about the "morning after pill."