The contraceptive sponge combines

barrier A barrier or barricade is a physical structure which blocks or impedes something. Barrier may also refer to: Places * Barrier, Kentucky, a community in the United States * Barrier, Voerendaal, a place in the municipality of Voerendaal, Netherl ...

and

spermicidal Spermicide is a contraceptive substance that destroys 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 spermici ...

methods to prevent conception. Sponges work in two ways. First, the sponge is inserted into the vagina, so it can cover the

cervix The cervix or cervix uteri (Latin, 'neck of the uterus') is the lower part of the uterus (womb) in the human female reproductive system. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes during ...

and prevent any sperm from entering the

uterus The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The ...

. Secondly, the sponge contains

spermicide Spermicide is a contraceptive substance that destroys 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 spermicid ...

. The sponges are inserted

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

lly prior to intercourse and must be placed over the cervix to be effective. Sponges provide no protection from

sexually transmitted infection Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and ora ...

s. Sponges can provide contraception for multiple acts of intercourse over a 24-hour period, but cannot be reused beyond that time or once removed.

Effectiveness

Sponge's effectiveness is 91% if used perfectly by women who never gave birth, and 80% if used perfectly by women who have given at least one birth. Since it is hard to use the sponge perfectly every time having vaginal sex, the real effectiveness of the method is actually lower than the figures mentioned. It is advised to combine sponges with other birth control methods, like withdrawal of penis before ejaculation or

condoms A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of inte ...

Use

To use the sponge, wet the sponge and squeeze it, fold it and put it in the

covering the

. A sponge works for 24 hours once put in, during which the female can have sex multiple times. Once the sponge is pulled out, it should not be reused and should be trashed, not flushed. The sponge should be left in place for 6 hours after having sex. A sponge should not be in the vagina for more than 30 hours.

Spermicide

Sponges are a physical barrier, trapping sperm and preventing their passage through the cervix into the reproductive system. The

is an important component of pregnancy prevention.

Side effects

People sensitive to

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 ...

, an ingredient in the spermicide used in the sponge, may experience unpleasant irritation and may face increase risk of

sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral ...

. Sponge users may have a slightly higher risk of

Toxic shock syndrome Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a condition caused by bacterial toxins. Symptoms may include fever, rash, skin peeling, and low blood pressure. There may also be symptoms related to the specific underlying infection such as mastitis, osteomyeli ...

In popular culture

*Shortly after they were taken off the U.S. market, the sponge was featured in an episode of the

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself and ...

'' titled " The Sponge". In the episode,

Elaine Benes Elaine Marie Benes () is a fictional character on the American television sitcom ''Seinfeld'', played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend in the sitcom is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld, and she is also good friends with George Costanz ...

conserves her remaining sponges by choosing to not have intercourse unless she is certain her partner is "sponge-worthy".Lavery, David and Sara Lewis Dunne (2006). ''Seinfeld, master of its domain: revisiting television's greatest sitcom'', p. 247. Continuum International Publishing Group, This was later revisited in the

series finale A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...

when the pharmacist testifies against Elaine and her morality for buying a whole case of the sponges. *The film ''

Clueless ''Clueless'' is a 1995 American coming-of-age teen comedy film written and directed by Amy Heckerling. It stars Alicia Silverstone with supporting roles by Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy and Paul Rudd. It was produced by Scott Rudin and Robert ...

'' 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 Life ''My 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. It is distributed by The B ...

'', the doctor tells Angela to use a sponge if she is thinking of having sex. *In the TV series ''

Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. The series first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United States o ...

'', Anna Bates, lady's maid to Lady Mary Crawley, buys a 1920s contraceptive sponge for her mistress. Later the device is found by Anna's husband John Bates who assumes she is using it herself.

References

External links

The Contraceptive Sponge
– DrDonnica.com {{Birth control methods Barrier contraception Spermicide Products introduced in 1983