How effective is a spermicide for contraception?
The effectiveness rates of spermicide used alone ranges from 79 to 94 percent. The lowest pregnancy rates are found in motivated women who are knowledgeable about how to properly use and apply the spermicide. Spermicides are also more effective in women whose fertility is naturally reduced, as in women over age 45, those who are breastfeeding, and those with absence of regular menstrual periods. The Pearl index can be as high as 18-28/100 women years (failure rate for 100 women using the method for one year). The popular spermicide called nonoxynol-9 does not protect people from sexually transmitted infections as previously thought. Contraceptive products that contain this spermicide, such as condoms, vaginal gels, inserts, and contraceptive film, are now required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States to carry a label indicating nonoxynol-9 does not protect against STIs. It may actually increase the risk of getting HIV from an infected person, because of the ir
