Contraceptive effectiveness of two spermicides: a randomized trial

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Contraception
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Nonoxynol-9 is a common spermicide used in various contraceptive formulations.
• Assessing the comparative effectiveness of different spermicide delivery methods is crucial for reproductive health.
• Previous studies have indicated varying effectiveness rates for different spermicidal products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the contraceptive effectiveness of a nonoxynol-9 spermicidal film versus a nonoxynol-9 spermicidal tablet.
• To determine if the spermicidal film was non-inferior to the spermicidal tablet in preventing pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• A multinational randomized trial involving 765 women aged 18-35 years.
• Participants used either a spermicidal film (72 mg nonoxynol-9) or a spermicidal tablet (100 mg nonoxynol-9) as their sole contraceptive method.
• Follow-up was for 28 weeks, with pregnancy tests and coital diaries used for data collection.

Main Results:

• The 6-month probability of pregnancy was 24.9% for the film group and 28.0% for the tablet group.
• No statistically significant difference in pregnancy rates was observed between the two spermicidal methods (P = .78).
• High levels of sexual activity and compliance were reported in both groups.

Conclusions:

• The contraceptive effectiveness of the nonoxynol-9 spermicidal film and tablet were found to be similar.
• Both spermicidal products demonstrated a relatively high risk of pregnancy in this young, highly sexually active population.
• Further research may be needed to explore more effective contraceptive options for highly active individuals.