Spermicide: Side Effects & Benefits
Side Effects
The Positive
There are actually lots of things about spermicide that may be good for your body as well as your sex life.
- Easy to use and convenient to get a hold of
- Can be inserted as foreplay (sexy!)
- Doesn’t affect your hormones
- No prescription necessary
- Can be used while breastfeeding
The Negative
It's normal to worry about negative side effects, but for many people, they're not a problem. Most people adjust to using spermicide pretty quickly.
- Can be kinda messy and/or leak out of your vagina
- Might irritate your vagina or your partner’s penis
- Some people are allergic to spermicide
- You may not like the taste
- All spermicides sold in the U.S. contain Nonoxynol-9, which can cause irritation (especially if you use it more than once a day). That can lead to an increased risk of HIV and STI transmission
- Hard to remember to use if you're drunk
Articles & Videos
Article
The Perfect Threesome: Pulling Out + Spermicide + CayaThe new Caya diaphragm pairs well with some spermicide and the oldest birth control method.
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?
