Contraceptive sponge
Encyclopedia
The contraceptive sponge combines barrier
and spermicidal
methods to prevent conception
. Three brands are marketed: Pharmatex, Protectaid and Today. Pharmatex is marketed in France
and the province of Quebec
; Protectaid in the rest of Canada
and Europe
; and Today in the United States
.
Sponges work in two ways. First, the sponge is inserted into the vagina, so it can cover the cervix and prevent any sperm from entering the uterus. Secondly, the sponge is produced with spermicide already inside of it, which is used to prevent the sperm from moving.
The sponges are inserted vagina
lly prior to intercourse and must be placed over the cervix
to be effective.
Sponges provide no protection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Studies of Protectaid have found effectiveness rates of 77% to 91%.
Studies of Pharmatex have found perfect use effectiveness rates of over 99% per year. Typical use of Pharmatex results in effectiveness of 81% per year. Sponges may be used in conjunction with another method of birth control such as condoms to increase effectiveness.
and Pharmatex sponges come ready to use.
The sponge can be inserted up to 24 hours before intercourse. It must be left in place for at least six hours after intercourse. It should not be worn for more than 30 hours in a row.
The sponge should never be reused once it has been removed after having sexual intercourse.
is an important component of pregnancy prevention; each brand offers a different formula.
The Today sponge contains 1,000 milligrams (mg) of nonoxynol-9
. Protectaid contains 5,000 mg of the F-5 gel, with three active ingredients (6.25 mg of nonoxynol-9, 6.25 mg of benzalkonium chloride
, and 25 mg of sodium cholate). Pharmatex contains 60 mg of benzalkonium chloride.
. Improper use, such as leaving the sponge in too long, can result in toxic shock syndrome
.
The Today sponge contains the spermicide nonoxynol-9, which may contain certain risks for those using the sponge multiple times a day, or for those at risk for HIV. In these cases, nonoxynol-9 can irritate the tissue, which leads to an increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Barrier contraception
Barrier contraception methods prevent pregnancy by physically preventing sperm from entering the uterus.-History:The earliest recorded barrier methods are those of stem pessaries, found in Egypt. The diaphragm and reusable condoms became common after the invention of rubber vulcanization in the...
and spermicidal
Spermicide
Spermicide is a contraceptive substance that eradicates sperm, inserted vaginally prior to intercourse to prevent pregnancy. As a contraceptive, spermicide may be used alone. However, the pregnancy rate experienced by couples using only spermicide is higher than that of couples using other methods...
methods to prevent conception
Fertilisation
Fertilisation is the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism. In animals, the process involves the fusion of an ovum with a sperm, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo...
. Three brands are marketed: Pharmatex, Protectaid and Today. Pharmatex is marketed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
; Protectaid in the rest of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; and Today in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Sponges work in two ways. First, the sponge is inserted into the vagina, so it can cover the cervix and prevent any sperm from entering the uterus. Secondly, the sponge is produced with spermicide already inside of it, which is used to prevent the sperm from moving.
The sponges are inserted vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
lly prior to intercourse and must be placed over the cervix
Cervix
The cervix is the lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina. It is cylindrical or conical in shape and protrudes through the upper anterior vaginal wall...
to be effective.
Sponges provide no protection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Effectiveness
The manufacturer of the Today sponge reports effectiveness for prevention of pregnancy of 89% to 91% when used correctly and consistently. When packaging directions are not followed for every act of intercourse, effectiveness rates of 84% to 89% are reported. Other sources cite poorer effectiveness rates for women who have given birth - 74% during correct and consistent use, and 68% during typical use.Studies of Protectaid have found effectiveness rates of 77% to 91%.
Studies of Pharmatex have found perfect use effectiveness rates of over 99% per year. Typical use of Pharmatex results in effectiveness of 81% per year. Sponges may be used in conjunction with another method of birth control such as condoms to increase effectiveness.
Use
To use the Today sponge, it must be run under water until thoroughly wet, about 2 tablespoons. The water is used as a mechanism to activate the spermicide inside the sponge. No extra spermicide is needed. The Protectaidand Pharmatex sponges come ready to use.
The sponge can be inserted up to 24 hours before intercourse. It must be left in place for at least six hours after intercourse. It should not be worn for more than 30 hours in a row.
The sponge should never be reused once it has been removed after having sexual intercourse.
History
The devices have had periods of unavailability in some markets since being introduced. All three brands are currently available outside their normal marketing areas through internet retailers.Today sponge
The Today Sponge was developed beginning in 1976 and introduced in the United States in 1983. Today was removed from the market in 1994. Following several delays, the Today brand became available again in Canada in March 2003, and in the U.S. in September 2005. After the manufacturer's parent company declared bankruptcy in 2007, the brand was off the market until relaunched in 2009.Pharmatex sponge
The Pharmatex sponge was introduced in France and the Quebec province in Canada in 1984.Protectaid sponge
The Protectaid sponge was introduced in Canada in 1996, and in Europe in 2000.Spermicide
Sponges are a physical barrier, trapping sperm and preventing their passage through the cervix into the female reproductive system. The spermicideSpermicide
Spermicide is a contraceptive substance that eradicates sperm, inserted vaginally prior to intercourse to prevent pregnancy. As a contraceptive, spermicide may be used alone. However, the pregnancy rate experienced by couples using only spermicide is higher than that of couples using other methods...
is an important component of pregnancy prevention; each brand offers a different formula.
The Today sponge contains 1,000 milligrams (mg) of nonoxynol-9
Nonoxynol-9
Nonoxynol-9, sometimes abbreviated as N-9, is an organic compound that is used as a surfactant. It is a member of the nonoxynol family of nonionic surfactants. N-9 and related compounds are ingredients in various cleaning and cosmetic products. It is widely used in contraceptives for its...
. Protectaid contains 5,000 mg of the F-5 gel, with three active ingredients (6.25 mg of nonoxynol-9, 6.25 mg of benzalkonium chloride
Benzalkonium chloride
Benzalkonium chloride, also known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and ADBAC, is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides of various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths. This product is a nitrogenous cationic surface-acting agent belonging to the quaternary ammonium group...
, and 25 mg of sodium cholate). Pharmatex contains 60 mg of benzalkonium chloride.
Side effects
Some people are allergic to the spermicide used in the sponge. Women who use contraceptive sponges have an increased risk of yeast infection and urinary tract infectionUrinary tract infection
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Symptoms include frequent feeling and/or need to urinate, pain during urination, and cloudy urine. The main causal agent is Escherichia coli...
. Improper use, such as leaving the sponge in too long, can result in toxic shock syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome is a potentially fatal illness caused by a bacterial toxin. Different bacterial toxins may cause toxic shock syndrome, depending on the situation. The causative bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes...
.
The Today sponge contains the spermicide nonoxynol-9, which may contain certain risks for those using the sponge multiple times a day, or for those at risk for HIV. In these cases, nonoxynol-9 can irritate the tissue, which leads to an increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
In U.S.A popular culture
- Shortly after they were taken off the U.S. market, the sponge was featured in an episode of the sitcom SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
titled "The Sponge". In the episode, the character Elaine BenesElaine BenesElaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
conserves her remaining Today spongeToday spongeThe Today sponge is a brand of plastic contraceptive sponge saturated with a spermicide nonoxynol-9 to prevent conception. Within two years of its launch, Today had become the largest selling over-the-counter female contraceptive in the United States, and was soon rolled out into other...
s by refusing intercourseSexual intercourseSexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
unless she is certain her partner is "sponge-worthy". - The film Clueless features a scene where the characters Dionne and Tai are discussing sex and Dionne is heard to ask Tai if the sponge would still work if the user has sex in water.
- On the TV series "My So-Called LifeMy So-Called LifeMy So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995 and was distributed by The Bedford Falls Company with ABC Productions. Set at the...
," the doctor tells Angela to use a sponge if she's thinking of having sex.
External links
- Contraceptive Sponge - American Pregnancy Association
- Contraceptive Sponge - CoolNurse.com
- Spongeworthiness - Salon.com
- The Contraceptive Sponge - DrDonnica.com
- Contraceptive Sponges (Today / Protectaid / Pharmatex) - FAQ thread on Ovusoft.com message boards