Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning PubHealthInfo

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PubHealth.info® (a subsidiary of PakMed) presents scientific information mainly based on abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health issues/topics, particularly encompassing population planning, disease prevention, maternal and child health, and communicable and non-communicable diseases (like HIV AIDS, malaria, etc) that are affecting a significant portion of population in developing and developed countries. Here you can find abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health topics under category "Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning". Contraception (birth control) is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant or giving birth. Therefore contraception is the utilization of various and sundry surgical procedures, devices, practices, agents, or drugs with the intention of preventing conception or impregnation (pregnancy). Methods and intentions typically termed birth control may be considered a pivotal ingredient to family planning. Birth control is a controversial political and ethical issue in many cultures and religions, and although it is generally less controversial than abortion specifically.

YEAR: 1983

CATEGORY: Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning

TITLE

Non-contraceptive benefits of vaginal spermicides.

AUTHORS

Potts M

SOURCE

In: Bloom HA, ed. Current controversies in vaginal contraception. New York,

Academy Professional Information Services, 1983. :4.

ABSTRACT

Vaginal spermicides are a new weapon against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Dr. Malcolm

Potts advises that the US Food and Drug Administation (FDA) should permit changes in the labeling of these agents

in order to tell people that they can be effective in protecting not only against prenancy but against a variety of STD.

To support his claim that common spermicides offer protection against a host of infectious agents, Potts noted that

the most common active ingredient nonoxynol-9 inhibits bacterial and fungal growth and that spermicides "barrier

action" will stop sperm and prevent the invasion of infectious organisms. Sing and Cutler and a number of other

investigators have shown that all of the commercially available spermicidal products in the US will inhibit the growth

of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a laboratory setting. There is also considerable clinical evidence that the use of a

spermicide will reduce the chance of reinfection in those patients who have had 1 episode of veneral disease. Sing

and Cutler examined 132 women who had 2 episodes of gonorrhea in the previous 12 months and randomly allotted

either nonoxynol-9 for use during subsequent coital episodes or a placebo containing no active compound. The

women who used nonoxynol-9 had become reinfected in only 9% of the cases at the end of 6 months, but there was a

28% rate of reinfection among controls. Other studies have also supported the utility of nonoxynnol-9 and another

active compound, phenol mercuric acetate, in preventing reinfection from gonorrhea. In a study based on a

population at 2 public health clinics in Orlando and Tampa, Florida, Cole and coworkers examined a population of

1245 women with veneral infection. Reinfection rates with these 2 active compounds were found to be considerably

lower than those found in the placebo group. In another study of the relationship of spermicides to STD, the relative

risk of gonorrhea was found to be .23 in women using spermicides compared with 1.0 in the group of women who did

not use spermicidal agents. There is also laboratory evidence which demonstrates that spermicides have an effect

on the herpes virus. Both trichomonas and candida have been shown by in vitro studies to be killed by spermicides.

Doctors should lead a campaign to inform the public that these agents are viable deterrents to STD. (PubHealth.info

Document ID: CONT5T 2039-06)

PubHealth.info NOTE: The author(s) of this article titled, "Non-contraceptive benefits of vaginal spermicides.", is(are)

Potts M. The source of this article is "In: Bloom HA, ed. Current controversies in vaginal contraception. New York,

Academy Professional Information Services, 1983. :4.". This article was published in 1983 in English language(s).

(PubHealth.info® Document ID: CONT5T 2039-06. All rights reserved with PubHealth.info) PIN: 22039

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