Conference turris::womannotes-v1

    I have never used one, but I've read about them.  Apparently their
    track record is not much better than condoms, is less good then
    diaphragms, and often doctors are unwilling to prescribe them. 
    
    Can anyone else continue from here?
    
    -Jody
    

    A friend of mine has one.  She says it's very, very similar to the
    diaphragm, without the associated cystitis (bladder infections that are
    often caused by 1) improperly fit diaphragms, 2) leaving them in too
    long, 3) falling alseep afterwards instead of running to the john
    to void your bladder, etc).  She mentioned that she could feel it
    on her cervix (hers isn't very sensitive, so I shudder to think
    about the sensations associated with a tender cervix like mine).
    
    It is still (as of a year ago or so) recommended that spermicide
    be used with them, but you can leave them in for a long time, thereby
    making life much less awkward.
    
    Lee 

    I was hesitant to start right in with my own opinions, being the
    chicken that I am, I had to let this discussion get rolling first.
    I have one and I think it's great.  I had a diaphragm in the past,
    but opted for a cer. cap on the advice of my Dr..  It's been a year
    now, I use it *faithfully* with spermicide, and no problems yet!
    (It's not like my SO and I don't put it to the test, either!)  It's
    easy, less messy than a diaphragm, and I can't feel it *at all*.Your
    friend must not have in on right or maybe it doesn't fit properly
    because you shouldn't be able to feel it.  It's a lot cheaper than
    other methods, seems to be reliable, and I like it a lot.
    
    Any questions?
    
    Stacie

    About 5  years ago my (then) girlfriend got a cervical cap. At the
    time  they  were  officially  experimental  for  contraception and
    approved  only  for  increasing  the odds of conception. They were
    only  available  in a few sizes, and after trying the closest size
    on (putting it in for short periods to see if it would stay and be
    comfortable) she never felt comfortable enough with it to actually
    use  it  for contraception. Perhaps if a better fit were available
    we would have used it, as it looked very good on paper.

--David

    re .1:
    
    I'm confused:
    
    > ...their track record is not much better than condoms, is less good 
    > then diaphragms,...
    
    I've understood that of these three barrier methods, the condom
    was the best at something like 98%, and the diaphragm somewhere
    around 90%. I don't remember where the Cap stood relative to the
    diaphragm, but was probably close to the same. 
    
    In fact, I thought the condom, when used properly, was THE most
    effective form of birth control. 
    
    Can anyone provide some current statistics?
    
                                                   
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    The problem with condoms is not in their makeup, it is in the way
    they are used.  They could have holes, they could slip, they could
    have been waiting in a wallet for years, some people don't put them
    on until just prior to climax...etc...etc...which brings the actual
    safety rate to 78% (methinks...anyone have statistics?)
    
    Diaphragms are 90-95% - again depending on usage.
    
    The minipill is 95-97%, the regular pill is 97-99%.  These figures
    include the WAY these methods are used, not the theoretical rates
    given in the laboratories which assume perfection in the users.
    
    Remember, these statistics are in woman-years....
    99% does *not* mean that 1 out of every 100 women will get pregnant
    every time they have sex on the pill (or 1 out of every 100 times
    a certain woman will get pregnant)...this means that 1 woman out
    of one hundred, during the course of a year of sexual activity,
    will get pregnant.
    
    I think I'll try to look up the actual/theoretical rates if I can
    find the proper sources.
    
    -Jody
    

    re .5:
    
    Actually, condoms are about 90% effective, foam is about 85% effective,
    diaphrams are about 92% effective. 
    
    However, if you combine foam or diaphram with condoms, you have
    something about 99% effective.
    
    This is assuming that they are *used*.  Most BC failures are caused
    by not using the method.  However, they break, slip off, have
    inperfections, etc.
    
    Elizabeth
    

    By the way, the cervical cap has been used in Europe for a long
    time, and was available in someplaces in American in the 1930's
    - my mother remembers them. I thought I remembered that ideally
    a mold would be made of the individual woman's cervix so that
    a cap could be made that fitted her *exactly*.

    re.6
    what is a mini-pill??????????????????
    
    kelly

    re .9
    
    The mini-pill is a low strength, low estrogen (or is it progestrin)
    pill that has allegedly less side effects than the regular pill
    (unless you call pregnancy a side effect :^)).
    
    Elizabeth
    

    Pregnancies per 100 women per year, range varies due to fluctuations
    in use:
    
    Method:                              Range: 

    IUD                                  less than 1 to 6
    Diaphragm w/spermicidal cream/jelly  2 to 20
    Condom                               3 to 36
    Spermicidal foams                    2 to 29
    spermicidal jellies/creams           4 to 36
    periodic abstinence (rhythm)         less then 1 to 47
         1.  calendar method             14 to 47
         2.  temperature method          1 to 20
         3.  #2 w/only postovulatory sex less than 1 to 7
         4.  mucus method                1 to 25
    No contraception                     60 to 80.
    
    
    taken from pamphlet A05561-6, Searle & Co, "What You Should Know
    About Oral Contraceptives", revision date Jan 23, 1987, section
    titled "Other Nonsurgical Ways To Prevent Pregnancy".
    
    

    1)  Cervical Caps:  easier, less messy, and more comfortable (if
    fitted correctly) than diaphragms.  Susan and I have used them for
    almost 5 years with no problems.  We like it.
    
    2)  Mini-pills:  don't be fooled.  You CAN  get the same side effects
    from the mini-pill as from any other "pill."  Susan was prescribed this
    "tri-phasic" low-dose pill to correct her dismenorrhea (sp? meaning 
    dysfunctional menstruation:  erratic or missed periods), cramping,
    and PMS.  HA!  Despite the MD's assurances that there would be no
    side effects, what Susan experienced from this mini-pill was:
    
    dismenorrhea
    cramping
    all of her PMS symptoms (poor woman.  poor me!)
    water retention
    spotting
    
    Worked real well, didn't it...  
                                                        

 
    re: -.1
    
    
        from my previously cited source of several notes ago, by the Searle
    Co., on information about the birth control pill:  this section is on 
    the minipill-
    
    "The mini-pill is less effective than the combination oral
    contraceptive, about 97% effective.  In addition, the mini-pill
    has a tendency to cause irregular bleeding, which may be quite
    inconvenient, or cessation of bleeding entirely.  The mini-pill
    is used despite its lower effectiveness in the hoe that it will
    prove not to have some of the serious side effects of the
    estrogen-containing pill, but it is not yet certain that the mini-pill
    does in fact have fewer serious side effects."
    
    
    this information should be contained in the pamphlet which should
    be included with the pill packet when the prescription is filled.
    It is a folded up piece of paper, and it is in small print, and
    if she needs more information, doctors receive more informative
    pamphlets which the patients can ask to see.
    
    -Jody  

    Call me unknowlegable but, ahem, "could someone tell me if the man's
    penis can dislodge the cervical cap during an aerobic session of
    intercourse".
    
    Cathy (who went off the pill after three years and now uses condum
    and jelly but is thinking of a better way)

re.-1
No, the cap cannot be dislodged if it's inserted correctly. I used one
for about 2 years. Best BC on the market, if you ask me. I guess the
biggest problem women have is inserting it correctly. A responsible
physician will have you insert it yourself then check to see if you have
it on right. It can't get holes in it very easily either (unlike the
diaphragm) and weight loss or gain does not change the size you need. 
Sizing is critical, at first my cap was too small. With the right size,
you shouldn't feel it, either. 
--Ginger