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  • Title: Vaginal contraceptive film gains wider acceptance.
    Journal: Contracept Technol Update; 1992 Sep; 13(9):1-2. PubMed ID: 12317927.
    Abstract:
    In US health departments and family planning clinics, women are beginning to accept vaginal contraceptive film more widely. Further, direct sales of this method, which is also distributed over the counter, has increased. In fact, in 1991, vaginal contraceptive film was the top selling contraceptive in pharmacies. This 2.5 sq. inch water-soluble film is impregnated with nonoxynol-9. The woman uses her finger to insert the folded square as close as possible to the cervix 5-60 minutes before intercourse. If the time between acts of intercourse is greater than 1 hour, she must insert another square. After it dissolves, it is a firm gel removed by vaginal and cervical fluids. The company realizes that its relatively high cost (about $3.59 for 3 films) prevents some family planning providers from offering the film. It has tried to cut costs by not using extra packaging material and by manufacturing it in the US instead of ain England. A manager of the family planning clinic at R.E. Thomason County Hospital in El Paso, Texas, notes that user compliance is higher with the vaginal contraceptive film than foam. In fact, patients at the Planned Parenthood League of Middlesex County, New Jersey, favor the film because it is less messy than foam. Teenagers in El Paso prefer the film because of the privacy issue and gives them more control to protect themselves from pregnancy. A worker at the New Jersey clinic recommends the film as a backup method for women beginning to use oral contraceptives. She also suggests to patients requesting condoms to also use the film. The company makes the same recommendation. Yet, family planning workers note that some women cannot convince partners to use the condom. 90% of patients at the El Paso clinic are Hispanic, and they tend to not accept condom use. Some providers suggest using 2 applications of the film to defend against sexually transmitted diseases, but there is no evidence that double application actually does so.
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