Modern life is very difficult. Work takes a huge place in it. Because of affairs, there is little free time. This contributes to the fact that people entering into interpersonal relationships tend to develop them faster. When it comes to intimacy, people sometimes forget about the most important thing - contraception. However, it is always worth remembering this, because when protecting people not only protect themselves from undesirable consequences, but also take care of their loved one, future children.
Modern contraceptives are diverse. They are divided into several groups (non-hormonal, hormonal, emergency, etc.). One of the contraceptive methods is spermicidal cream. What is it, how does it work and how effective is it? We will try to find answers to these important questions.
What are spermicides?
Spermicides are contraceptives related to chemical methods of protection. They are substances that negatively affect sperm entering the vagina, destroy them, and prevent their penetration into the uterus. This effect is explained by the presence of a special chemically active component in the composition of spermicides.
Spermicides arose in ancient times. Women used to do douching with potassium permanganate, soda, injected lemon slices, aspirin tablets into the vagina. Modern spermicidal agents are presented in different forms. There are pills, candles, foams, tampons. One of the remedies is spermicidal gel (cream). Consider its advantages and disadvantages.
The benefits of spermicidal cream
One of the main advantages of this contraceptive is its accessibility. The drug in the form of a cream can easily be bought at any pharmacy without a prescription. The tool is relatively inexpensive, which is considered a definite plus. The advantages of spermicidal cream include its safety. The product does not contain hormones. It can be used by both giving birth and non-giving birth to women.
Spermicidal creams are easy to use. They are inserted into the vagina 20-30 minutes before sexual intercourse and usually act for 1 hour. The effectiveness of these contraceptives is not high enough. According to statistics, out of 100 women, 25-30 have a pregnancy.
Spermicidal Cream Disadvantages
The disadvantages of modern spermicidal creams are associated with the presence of side effects. After sexual intercourse, partners may feel a burning sensation and itching in the external genital area, and may experience allergic reactions. Another disadvantage of spermicides is that their use does not exclude the possibility of infection of partners with sexually transmitted diseases.
Another drawback of contraception is the inability to often or constantly use spermicidal cream. This drug refers to chemical contraception. With frequent or constant use, irritation of the vaginal mucosa or its damage may occur. This, in turn, can lead to HIV transmission.
The composition of spermicidal creams and a list of common agents
The composition of spermicidal agents contains certain active ingredients:
- Surfants. These substances include benzalkonium chloride, menfegol, octoxynol, nonoxynol-9. The first of them is considered the most effective. Studies have shown that benzalkonium chloride within 20 seconds destroys sperm entering the vagina. Its advantages include not only high efficiency, but also the ability to kill bacteria and viruses.
- Inhibitors of active enzymes. This group of substances includes A-gene 53 (A-gen 53), Sin-a-gene (Sin-a-gen).
In the manufacture of spermicidal creams, the active substance (benzalkonium chloride or some other) is introduced into its future carrier - in a tool that promotes the distribution of the component in the vagina and gives an enveloping effect.
It is known that there are various spermicidal creams. Here is a list of them:
- Farmateks;
- "Dolphin";
- "Conceptrol";
- Coromex
- "Ortho";
- Ortho-Ginol;
- "Ramses";
- Rendell;
- Alpagel.
Pharmatex: description of the drug
An effective spermicidal vaginal agent is Pharmatex with the smell of lavender. The composition contains a 50% aqueous solution of benzalkonium chloride. Excipients are citric acid, lavender oil. Spermicidal cream quickly destroys the shell of the sperm. It also protects against certain diseases, infections with gonococci, trichomonads, chlamydia.
Farmateks vaginal cream is convenient to use. The manufacturer has created a special dispenser, with which you can take the right amount of funds from the tube and inject it into the vagina. It was stated above that spermicidal agents act for 1 hour. The spermicidal cream Farmateks has a different effect. The instruction indicates that it is valid for 10 hours.
Other drugs
Nonoxynol-9 is a spermicidal agent in Dolphin and Conceptrol, benzalkonium chloride is in Alpagel, and octoxynol is used in other preparations. It is known that Alpagel, like Pharmatex, is effective for 10 hours, and the rest of spermicidal agents for 1 hour.
The listed active ingredients make birth control creams effective. It is impossible to name the prices for drugs, because they are all absent in modern pharmacies. The exception is Farmateks. It can be bought at any pharmacy, ordered on the World Wide Web. Its price is about 400 rubles for a small tube. Farmateks is not only on sale in the form of cream. Those who wish can purchase this drug in other dosage forms that are most convenient for them (for example, in the form of vaginal tablets or capsules).
Tips for using spermicidal creams
When using vaginal cream , certain rules must be observed in order to maintain its effectiveness:
- 2 hours before sex and within 2 hours after intimacy, you can not use soap to wash the genitals, as it has a destructive effect on spermicidal cream;
- before each repeated sexual intercourse, a new dose of the drug is administered;
- after sexual intercourse, it is only allowed to carry out the external toilet of the genitals with clean water;
- after applying spermicidal cream, you can not take baths, swim in the pool, the sea.
If a disease occurs or a chronic illness worsens, then the use of spermicidal contraceptives is temporarily abandoned. Re-start to apply vaginal creams only after the effective completion of the prescribed course of treatment.
About barrier contraception
So, we examined spermicidal creams. It was said above that these drugs belong to chemical contraception. In turn, it is included in a large group of barrier methods of protection. Their principle of action is simple and visible from the name. The bottom line is to create an obstacle in the way of the sperm to the egg.
Barrier contraception consists not only of chemical methods of protection against unwanted pregnancy. It also includes mechanical methods that are implemented through the use of:
- condoms;
- apertures;
- cervical caps;
- femidones (female condoms).
Condom use
The most famous and popular means, which includes barrier contraception, are condoms. They have been used by mankind for a very long time. Their history goes back to the time of the Roman Empire. In this state, people used to use the bladder of animals to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Today, condoms are made from thin latex. They are made with a different relief, treated with special lubricants. Condoms are most common because they have many advantages:
- they are easy to use and affordable;
- protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV;
- relieve unpleasant symptoms that occur in women with allergies to sperm.
Which is better: spermicidal creams or condoms?
People who think about using contraception face a difficult choice. They don’t know which protection method to focus on - choose condoms or spermicidal cream. The composition of the latter can adversely affect the genitals of partners with constant use, therefore, the tool is recommended to be used only to those people whose sexual intercourse is rare. Also, an indication for the use of creams is a break when using combined oral contraceptives (hormonal agents).
Regarding condoms, it is worth noting that they protect against most sexually transmitted infections. This is an important advantage of these funds over spermicidal creams. However, the contraceptive effect of condoms is very low. Thin latex can tear. To reduce the likelihood of an unwanted pregnancy, it is recommended to use condoms in combination with other contraceptives - with combined oral medications.
Thus, it is impossible to give a concrete answer to the question of which contraceptive is the best. Both spermicides and condoms have specific advantages and disadvantages. Making a choice is worth taking into account your lifestyle, age, personal preferences.