Cervical cap: Side Effects & Benefits
Side Effects
The Positive
There are some advantages to using the cervical cap, including:
- You can put the cervical cap in up to 40 hours before having sex.
- You can have sex as many times as you like while it's in, just check its position and add more spermicide first.
- Usually neither partner can feel it during sex, although some partners can.
- It's safe to use while breastfeeding.
The Negative
It's normal to think about side effects, but for many people, they're not a problem. Some side effects may include:
- Spermicide can cause vaginal irritation.
- Some people get frequent urinary tract infections when using the cap.
- It can get pushed out of place by large penises, heavy thrusting, or certain sexual positions.
In addition to potential side effects, there may be some downsides to using the cervical cap, including:
- Learning to insert it can take some practice.
- It doesn't offer any protection against STIs (and in fact, irritation caused by spermicide can put you at higher risk of STIs).
- You have to use it every time you have sex, no matter what.
- Inserting more spermicide can interrupt sex.
