Delivery of microbicides to the vagina: difficulties reported with the use of three devices, adherence to use and...

A crossover study was carried out in 405 couples to compare women's difficulties with three different devices that could be used to administer a microbicide and to evaluate adherence to use and preference for any one of the devices.

Couples used a single size diaphragm, a vaginal ring or disposable applicators for 1 month each in a randomly assigned order.

Few women reported difficulty using the applicators or the ring; however, almost two-thirds reported difficulty using the diaphragm. Approximately 5%, 10% and 40% of the women and a similar but slightly lower percentage of their partners reported incorrect use of the applicator, vaginal ring and diaphragm, respectively. About half the women preferred the vaginal ring, while around half the men preferred the applicator.

The release of microbicides from a vaginal ring is a lead worth pursuing. The diaphragm is the only one of the three devices that also offers mechanical protection, but it requires greater investment in patient education to ensure adherence to use.