Diaphragm: Side Effects & Benefits
Side Effects
The Positive
There are lots of things about birth control that are good for your body as well as your sex life. Here are some of the benefits of the diaphragm:
- You can put the diaphragm in up to an hour in advance of having sex.
- You can have sex as many times as you like while it's in (you just have to apply more spermicide before each time).
- Neither you nor your partner should be able to feel it during sex.
- It doesn't affect your hormones.
- You can use it while you're breastfeeding.
The Negative
It's normal to think about side effects, but for many people, they're not a problem. However, some side effects may include:
- Vaginal irritation caused by the spermicide that you use with the diaphragm
- Frequent urinary tract infections
In addition to potential side effects, there may be some disadvantages to using the diaphragm:
- May interrupt sex
- Requires a prescription
- Offers no protection against STIs
- May require an in-person visit to your provider, depending on which diaphragm you get
Articles & Videos
Article
SILCS: It's Not Your Mama’s Diaphragm (Not Her Spermicide, Either)Could a new method to protect against both pregnancy and HIV be closer than we think?
