Contraception, Part 2: The Sponge (It's Back!)

The Today Sponge hit store shelves in 1983 and was very popular but was discontinued in 1995 due to manufacturing problems (none resulting in safety hazards or substandard effectiveness), and was recently relaunched in 2009 in over 13,000 drugstores (including Rite-Aid, Walgreen's, and CVS) and online. The Sponge is a soft, round, polyurethane and is hormone-free. It prevents pregnancy by detraction of nonoxynol-9 (sperm-killing chemical), blocking sperm from entering through the cervix to the uterus, and also absorbing sperm.

The Sponge is about 89-91% effective. In my opinion, the Sponge is one of the safest methods of birth control (concerning health risks), but it is one of the less effective. The Sponge can be as high as 91% effective, and as low as 84%. Women who have had natural (vaginal) deliveries are likely to be about 73% successful with the Sponge. This reason is dependably because the vagina and cervix become expanded after giving birth.

One study shows that 1 out of 10 women (9-11%) became pregnant when using correctly 100% of the time. When not used correctly, possibility for getting pregnant went up to 13-16%, about 1 out of 7 women (todaysponge.com/about.html).

Over 1850 women used to sponge for one year. Through over 230,000 acts of intercourse, 179 pregnancies were produced, giving a statistic of one pregnancy per every 1287 acts of intercourse.

Parents magazine offers these tips for success:

1. Since water activates the spermicide, absorb sponge completely with water and squeeze until it looks sudsy.

2. Leave sponge in for at least six hours after intercourse. "If you pop it right out, sperm will still be hanging around and they can sneak up th cervix", warns Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine.

The Sponge contains sodium metabisulfite, so don't use if you are allergic to sulfites. If you have ever had TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome), you are on your period, or you or your partner has HIV/AIDS, you should not use the Today Sponge. If you are unsure if one of you is infected, you also shouldn't use the Sponge.

The Sponge is inserted like a tampon. When it reaches your cervix, press to fit and cover the cervix.

The Today Sponge is produced by the 1986 born Mayer Laboratories, makers of Kimono(R) brand latex condoms, Aqua-lube personal lubricant, and fc (R) female condoms, sold throughout the US and Canada.

For more information on the Today Sponge, including how to use with step by step diagram illustration, please go to todaysponge.com. You should always gather as much information about new birth control before using. Research and talk to you ob-gyn.

The Today Sponge hit store shelves in 1983 and was very popular but was discontinued in 1995 due to manufacturing problems (none resulting in safety hazards or substandard effectiveness), and was recently relaunched in 2009 in over 13,000 drugstores (including Rite-Aid, Walgreen's, and CVS) and online. The Sponge is a soft, round, polyurethane and is hormone-free. It prevents pregnancy by detraction of nonoxynol-9 (sperm-killing chemical), blocking sperm from entering through the cervix to the uterus, and also absorbing sperm.

The Sponge is about 89-91% effective. In my opinion, the Sponge is one of the safest methods of birth control (concerning health risks), but it is one of the less effective. The Sponge can be as high as 91% effective, and as low as 84%. Women who have had natural (vaginal) deliveries are likely to be about 73% successful with the Sponge. This reason is dependably because the vagina and cervix become expanded after giving birth.

One study shows that 1 out of 10 women (9-11%) became pregnant when using correctly 100% of the time. When not used correctly, possibility for getting pregnant went up to 13-16%, about 1 out of 7 women (todaysponge.com/about.html).

Over 1850 women used to sponge for one year. Through over 230,000 acts of intercourse, 179 pregnancies were produced, giving a statistic of one pregnancy per every 1287 acts of intercourse.

Parents magazine offers these tips for success:

1. Since water activates the spermicide, absorb sponge completely with water and squeeze until it looks sudsy.

2. Leave sponge in for at least six hours after intercourse. "If you pop it right out, sperm will still be hanging around and they can sneak up th cervix", warns Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine.

The Sponge contains sodium metabisulfite, so don't use if you are allergic to sulfites. If you have ever had TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome), you are on your period, or you or your partner has HIV/AIDS, you should not use the Today Sponge. If you are unsure if one of you is infected, you also shouldn't use the Sponge.

The Sponge is inserted like a tampon. When it reaches your cervix, press to fit and cover the cervix.

The Today Sponge is produced by the 1986 born Mayer Laboratories, makers of Kimono brand latex condoms, Aqua-lube personal lubricant, and fc female condoms, sold throughout the US and Canada.

For more information on the Today Sponge, including how to use with step by step diagram illustration, please go to todaysponge.com. You should always gather as much information about new birth control before using. Research and talk to you ob-gyn.

For more on the 2008 disappearance of the Today Sponge read Elizabeth Kelly's "The Today Sponge is Off The Market Again in 2008" here on associated content.

Sources: Parents Magazine, December 2009; Todaysponge.com