Cervical Cap: Costs, How To Use

Costs

The Right Time health centers stock all methods of contraception and offer free or low-cost contraception to those who need it.

Prices:

This method may be free or low-cost for you at The Right Time health centers.
With Medicaid: Free
With insurance: Depending on your income, you may be able to go to a low-cost clinic to get the cervical cap at reduced cost.

To see how this translates over a year, here’s what it would cost to pay for a cervical cap month-to-month at full price:

Cost per month over one year: $0 - $24

How To Use

A cervical cap can be inserted hours before sex and should be in before you’re turned on, so it won’t get in the way of the moment. But you have to be sure to leave it in for six hours after you have sex. If you’re going to have sex again that day, leave the cervical cap in place and insert more spermicide way up in your vagina (Gynol II comes with an applicator that makes this easier, but any kind of contraceptive gel or spermicide will do except for the film or insert/suppository types). And don’t leave your cap in for more than 48 hours.

How to put it in

Inserting a cervical cap may sound difficult, but with a bit of practice, it’s not that tough.

Here’s the deal:

Wash your hands with soap and water.
Check your cervical cap for holes and weak spots. Filling it with water is a good way to check—if it leaks, you’ve got a hole.
Put a quarter teaspoon or so of spermicide in the dome of the cup, and spread some around the rim, too.
Flip it over to the side with the removal strap and put another half teaspoon in the indentation between the brim and the dome.
Get comfy, like you’re going to put in a tampon.
Put your index and middle fingers into your vagina and feel for your cervix, so you’ll know where to place the cap.
Separate the outer lips of your vagina with one hand, and use the other hand to squeeze the rim of the cap together.
Slide the cap in dome side down, with the long brim first.
Push down toward your anus, then up and onto your cervix. Make sure your cervix is totally covered.

How to take it out

Of course, what goes in must come out (at least six hours after you’ve had sex). Here’s how:

Wash your hands again.
Squat down. Put a finger inside your vagina, get a hold of the removal strap, and rotate the cap.
Push on the dome a bit with your finger to break the suction.
Hook your finger under the strap and pull the cap out.

Still having trouble? You might want to consider switching to another method.

Finally, take good care of your cap and it’ll last up to two years.

After you take it out, wash it with mild soap and warm water.
Let it air dry.
Don’t use powders on your cap—they could cause infection.
And don’t worry if it becomes discolored. It’ll still work.