Cervical Cap
From Encyclopedia of Sex and Sexuality
A barrier method of birth control, the cervical cap is a flexible rubber cap that fits over the woman’s cervix and blocks the opening to her uterus. It requires a prescription and is reversible. Thimble-shaped, it must be fitted by a clinician so that it fits snugly over the cervix, assuring that no sperm can enter and fertilize an egg. A spermicide is also used to kill any sperm that can otherwise survive for up to seven days.
The cap is coated with spermicide and can be put in place by a woman up to six hours before intercourse; it may be left in place for up to forty-eight hours. The use of additional spermicide for subsequent episodes of intercourse is optional. The spermicides used with the cap offer some protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Of 100 women who use the cervical cap, 18 will become pregnant during a year of typical use. If the cap is used properly, only 6 out of 100 would become pregnant. The cap cannot be used during menstruation or if there is any other kind of vaginal bleeding.
The cap is similar to the diaphragm, but it is harder for the professional to fit and more time-consuming for the woman to learn how to insert and remove it. The cap is preferred to the diaphragm for women whose pelvic muscles are too relaxed to hold a diaphragm in place.
Caps are inserted deep into the vagina before intercourse and are put into place to cover the cervix. The woman should also check before and after intercourse to make sure the cap has not shifted. Because the cap requires an insertion and removal process, it is not favored by women who feel uncomfortable touching their genitals, though the placement of the cap can be done by the man as well as by the woman, so that insertion can be made part of foreplay. The cervical cap is much more popular in Europe than in the United States.
In general there are no side effects to the cervical cap, though an unpleasant odor may develop if a cap is left in place for several days. Some women have a mild allergic reaction to either the rubber used in the cap or the spermicides used with them.
