Condoms' equivalents: contraceptive diaphragms for women

Women have the similar contraceptive devices to condoms, namely, contraceptive diaphragms. A diaphragm acts like a small cap covering a cervix and its inlet to stop a sperm from wandering into the uterus through the vagina. Like condoms, contraceptive diaphragms also have different sizes. A woman needs a doctor for measurement of her cervix to determine the proper size for herself. Because it is very hard for a diaphragm to press a cervix tight, adjuvant adhesives like spermatocides are needed to fill in the slight openings to prevent a sperm from wandering into the uterus. But it is not so convenient to use a contraceptive diaphragm. A woman has to put in a diaphragm before sexual intercourse and has to wait at least 8 hours to let the seminal liquid discharge and then cleanse the possible sperms away before taking the diaphragm out. Generally speaking, a contraceptive is slightly less effective than contraceptive pills.

Intrauterine rings may cause more side effects.

An intrauterine ring is another contraceptive device for women. It is in fact a small nylon ring put in a uterus by a doctor, which makes the uterus respond to a foreign body and contract itself to avoid the implantation of a fertilized embryo. Now an intrauterine ring has a metal coat gilded on its surface to kill the sperm that wanders into the uterus. The advantage of using an intrauterine ring is that its effect will last for manyyears so when having sexual intercourse a man does not have to wear a condom every time neither need a woman to take pills each day. However, an intrauterine ring also has many side effects such as abdominal discomfort, more menstruation and more vaginal secretion. What is more serious, it may cause uteritis and permanent sterility so many women do not regard this method as a priority.

Ligation, permanent contraception

Those who want permanent contraception may choose ligation. Women have tubal ligation and men do vasoligation. Tubal ligation entails general anesthesia or half-body anesthesia because it is an operation performed in the abdominal cavity while vasoligation needs only toponarcosis, for the spermatic duct is in the external scrotum so it is only a small operation. Vasoligation is much less dangerous than tubal ligation. A man does not need hospitalization after vasoligation and can work normally next day.