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Barrier Methods of Birth Control: What You Need to Know

Spermicides

A spermicide is a birth control agent that helps in the destruction of sperm. They come in different forms like jelly, foams, creams and films. They are to be placed inside the vagina for about 15 minutes before sexual intercourse.

Normally, only a little percentage of the sperm released by a man is viable for fertilization because the acidity of the vagina makes it a toxic environment for the majority of the sperm to survive. So the use of spermicides reduces the chances of the little viable sperm fertilizing an egg.

The major constituent of all spermicides is Nonoxynol-9 [2]. They can be bought and used without a doctor’s prescription. They last throughout the length of just one sexual intercourse and need to be applied before another intercourse. Success ranges from 70% to 90%.