Spermicidal cream: popular drugs, their effect and effectiveness. Barrier contraception

Modern life is very difficult. It takes a huge place to work. Because of the cases there is little free time. This contributes to the fact that people who enter into interpersonal relationships tend to develop them faster. When it comes to intimacy, people sometimes forget about the most important thing - about contraception. However, this is always worth remembering, because in the protection of people not only protect themselves from undesirable consequences, but also take care of their beloved person, future children.

Modern means of contraception are diverse. They are divided into several groups (non-hormonal, hormonal, emergency, etc.). One of the means of contraception is the spermicidal cream. What is it like, how it works and how effective it is? We will try to find answers to these important questions.

What are spermicides?

Spermicides are contraceptive methods related to chemical methods of protection. They are substances that negatively affect the sperm entering the vagina, destroy them, prevent their penetration into the uterus. This effect is explained by the presence of a special chemically active component in the spermicides.

There were spermicides in ancient times. Women used to do syringing with potassium permanganate, soda, injected lobules of lemon into the vagina, aspirin tablets. Modern spermicides are represented by different forms. There are tablets, candles, foams, tampons. One of the means is a spermicidal gel (cream). Consider its merits and demerits.

Advantages of spermicidal cream

One of the main advantages of this contraceptive is its availability. The drug in the form of a cream can be easily bought in any pharmacy without a prescription. The remedy is relatively inexpensive, which is considered an undoubted plus. Advantages of spermicidal cream include its safety. It does not contain hormones. It can be used as giving birth, and nulliparous women.

Spermicidal creams are easy to apply. They are inserted into the vagina for 20-30 minutes before the sexual act is committed and are generally effective for 1 hour. The effectiveness of these contraceptives is not high enough. According to statistics, out of 100 women in 25-30 pregnancy occurs.

Disadvantages of spermicidal cream

Disadvantages of modern spermicidal creams are associated with the presence of side effects. Partners after sexual intercourse can feel burning and itching in the area of the external genitalia, to face manifestations of an allergic reaction. Another disadvantage of spermicides is that they do not exclude the possibility of infection of partners with sexually transmitted diseases.

Another drawback of contraceptive means is the inability to use spermicidal cream frequently or continuously. This drug refers to chemical contraception. With frequent or repeated use, irritation of the vaginal mucosa or damage to the vagina may occur. This, in turn, can lead to the transmission of HIV infection.

Composition of spermicidal creams and a list of common remedies

Spermicidal agents contain certain active ingredients:

1. Surfonds. These substances include benzalkonium chloride, menthol, octoxinol, nonoxynol-9. The first of them is considered the most effective. Studies have shown that benzalkonium chloride for 20 seconds destroys the sperm entering the vagina. Its merits include not only high efficiency, but also the ability to kill bacteria and viruses.
2. Inhibitors of active enzymes. This group of substances includes the A gene 53 (A-gen 53), the 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 - into a means that facilitates the distribution of the component in the vagina and gives an enveloping effect.

It is known about the existence of different spermicidal creams. Here is their list:

• Pharmatex;
• "Delfin";
• "Conceptrol";
• "Koromeks";
• "Ortho";
• Ortho-Ginol;
• "Ramses";
• "Rendell";
• Alpagel.

Pharmatex: description of the preparation

The effective spermicidal vaginal drug is "Pharmatex" with the smell of lavender. The composition contains 50% aqueous solution of benzalkonium chloride. Auxiliary substances are citric acid, lavender oil. Spermicidal cream quickly destroys the shell of spermatozoa. It also protects against certain diseases, infection with gonococci, Trichomonas, Chlamydia.

Vaginal cream "Pharmatex" is convenient to use. The manufacturer has created a special dispenser, with which you can take the right amount of the drug from the tube and inject it into the vagina. It was mentioned above that spermicides last for 1 hour. Spermicide cream "Pharmatex" has a different effect. The instruction indicates that it is valid for 10 hours.

Other drugs

Spermicidal agent in "Delphine" and "Conceptrotrol" is nonoxynol-9, in "Alpagel" - benzalkonium chloride, in other preparations - octoxinol. It is known that "Alpagel", as well as "Pharmatex", operates for 10 hours, and the remaining spermicidal agents - within 1 hour.

The listed active components make effective contraceptive cream. Prices for drugs can not be called, because they are all absent in modern pharmacies. The exception is Pharmatex. It can be bought at any pharmacy, ordered on the World Wide Web. Its price is about 400 rubles for a small tube. "Pharmatex" is on sale not only in the form of a 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, you need to follow certain rules to keep it effective:

• 2 hours before sex and within 2 hours after intimate intimacy, you can not use soap to wash the genitals, since it has a destructive effect on the spermicidal cream;
• Before each repeated sexual intercourse a new dose of the drug is administered;
• After sexual intercourse it is permitted only to carry out the external toilet of the genital organs with clean water;
• After applying spermicidal cream you can not take a bath, bathe in the pool, the sea.

If there is a disease or a chronic illness worsens, then the use of spermicidal contraceptives is temporarily abandoned. Repeatedly begin to use vaginal creams only after the effective completion of the prescribed course of treatment.

About barrier contraception

So, we looked at spermicidal creams. Above it was said that these drugs are related to chemical contraception. In turn, it is included in a large group of barrier methods of protection. Their principle of operation is simple and visible from the title. The essence is to create an obstacle in the way of the sperm to the egg.

Barrier contraception consists not only of chemical methods of protection from unwanted pregnancy. It also includes mechanical methods that are implemented through the use of:

• Condoms;
• Diaphragms;
• Cervical caps;
• Femidons (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 dates back to the time of the Roman Empire. In this state, people used to use the urinary bladder of animals to protect themselves from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Today condoms are made of a thin latex. They are made with different relief, treated with special lubricants. Condoms are most common, because they have many advantages:

• They are easy to use and available;
• Protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV;
• Relieve the unpleasant symptoms that occur in women with allergies to sperm.

Which is better: spermicidal creams or condoms?

People who think about using contraceptives face a difficult choice. They do not know on what method of prevention to stop their attention - choose condoms or spermicide cream. The composition of the latter can adversely affect the sexual organs of partners with constant use, so the tool is recommended to use only those people whose sexual intercourse is rare. Also an indication for the use of creams is a break with the use of combined oral contraceptives (hormonal drugs).

Concerning condoms, it is worth noting that they protect against most sexually transmitted infections. This is an important advantage of these agents in front of spermicidal creams. However, the contraceptive effect of condoms is very low. Thin latex can tear. To reduce the likelihood of 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 spermicide drugs and condoms have specific advantages and disadvantages. Make the choice of a tool is based on your lifestyle, age, personal preferences.