{"id":5036,"date":"2022-02-07T20:42:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-08T02:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/?p=5036"},"modified":"2022-07-06T11:34:42","modified_gmt":"2022-07-06T17:34:42","slug":"contraceptive-sponge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/unplanned-pregnancy\/birth-control-pills-patches-and-devices\/contraceptive-sponge\/","title":{"rendered":"Contraceptive Sponge"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The contraceptive sponge, also known as the birth control sponge, is a soft saucer-shaped device made from polyurethane foam. The sponge is filled with a spermicide known as nonoxynol-9. It is considered a barrier method of birth control.<\/p>\n<h2>How does a birth control sponge work?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>\u00a0You insert the sponge deep into your vagina before sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. It is designed to fit over the cervix and works<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>in three ways to prevent pregnancy:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It blocks the cervix, preventing semen from\u00a0entering the uterus.<\/li>\n<li>The sponge contains <a title=\"Spermicide\" href=\" https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/preventingpregnancy\/spermicide\/\">spermicide<\/a> which kills\u00a0sperm.<\/li>\n<li>The sponge absorbs the semen and traps sperm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>How effective is a contraceptive sponge?<\/h3>\n<p>The effectiveness of the sponge depends on how well you use it and whether or not you\u2019ve ever given birth. The failure rates are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>9 percent for women who haven\u2019t given birth and use the sponge correctly every time<\/li>\n<li>12 percent for women who haven\u2019t given birth and don\u2019t use the sponge correctly every time<\/li>\n<li>20 percent for women who have given birth and use the sponge correctly every time<\/li>\n<li>24 percent for women who have given birth and don\u2019t use the sponge correctly every time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To improve the effectiveness of the sponge, ask your partner to pull out before ejaculating. He can also use a condom as added protection.<\/p>\n<p>You should <a title=\"Taking a Pregnancy Test\" href=\"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/getting-pregnant\/taking-a-pregnancy-test\/\">take\u00a0a pregnancy test<\/a> if you are experiencing any <a title=\"Pregnancy Symptoms \u2014 Early Signs of Pregnancy\" href=\"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/getting-pregnant\/early-pregnancy-symptoms\/\">pregnancy\u00a0symptoms<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>What are the side effects or health risks of a contraceptive sponge?<\/h3>\n<p>The sponge has been associated with some women experiencing toxic shock syndrome (TSS) &#8211; a rare but serious life-threatening bacterial infection.<\/p>\n<p>The sponge should not be left inside the vagina for more than <strong>30<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>hours<\/strong>. The sponge should not be used during <a href=\"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/womens-health\/what-is-menstruation\/\">menstruation<\/a> or if you\u00a0have a history of TSS.<\/p>\n<p>If the sponge breaks when you\u2019re trying to remove it and you can\u2019t get all the pieces out, you need to see your doctor. Leaving the pieces in your body may cause an infection.<\/p>\n<p>You should not use the sponge if you are allergic to sulfites (a chemical found in some food and wine), the spermicide, or any of the sponge\u2019s materials. Doing so may lead to an allergic reaction.<\/p>\n<h3>What are the pros &amp; cons of the birth control sponge?<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Pros include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Easy to use and effective immediately<\/li>\n<li>Inexpensive and available at drugstores<\/li>\n<li>Can be inserted up to a day before having sex<\/li>\n<li>Does not require a medical exam or prescription<\/li>\n<li>Doesn&#8217;t affect your hormone levels<\/li>\n<li>It&#8217;s reversible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>The Cons include: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It\u2019s less effective if you\u2019ve given birth<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s unsafe to use during your period<\/li>\n<li>It doesn\u2019t protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)<\/li>\n<li>The sponge or spermicide may irritate your vagina, which can increase your risk of STIs<\/li>\n<li>Insertion and removal can be messy or difficult<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>NOTE:<\/strong> The contraceptive sponge was removed from the market in 1994 by the FDA for health reasons but has been recently re-approved by the FDA, so it may not be available in all areas. Be sure to check with your pharmacy or health care provider on the availability of the contraceptive sponge.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"citation-date\"><!--more--><strong>Want to Know More?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/preventing-pregnancy\/types-of-birth-control\/\">Types of Birth Control<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/preventing-pregnancy\/birth-control-failure\/\">Birth Control Failure<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/preventing-pregnancy\/birth-control-pills\/\">Birth Control Pills<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/americanpregnancy.org\/preventing-pregnancy\/birth-control-patch\/\">Birth Control Patch<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Sources:<\/h4>\n<p>Healthline: A<a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/birth-control-sponge\">bout the Birth Control Sponge<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The contraceptive sponge, also known as the birth control sponge, is a soft saucer-shaped device made from polyurethane foam. The sponge is filled with a spermicide known as nonoxynol-9. It is considered a barrier method of birth control. How does a birth control sponge work? \u00a0You insert the sponge deep into your vagina before sexual [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":23660,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[197],"tags":[],"faq-categories":[8401],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.11 (Yoast SEO v20.11) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Contraceptive Sponge | American Pregnancy Association<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The contraceptive sponge is a soft saucer-shaped device made from polyurethane foam. 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