Question about condoms!!

[Captain_Jack]

I've heard talk of spermicide condoms, and i was wondering wut they are. I know what condoms are, but not those. I'm guessing that it might have somthing to do with sperms, or killing them. B/c, a pesticide kills bug, so a spermicide kills sperms?

[nelle24]

That's a smart bit of etymology you did there!
Words ending with "- cide" (from homicide, fratricide, suicide and genocide to herbicide and pesticide) generally have to do with killing something (it's from the Latin "occidere", meaning to kill).

So yup, spermicides are supposed to kill sperm.

However, note that "supposed to" I snuck in there.

Some condoms are sold with spermicide on. But it's not enough to have a significant effect when it comes to preventing pregnancy. And it is often enough to cause vaginal irritation (which can make STD transmission more likely).

So here we advise you to to pick condoms without spermicide on.
_________________
I'd stop eating chocolate but I'm no quitter

[Jim24]

SPermacides kill about 90% of the sperm. since condoms are only 98% effective, when you mix the spermacide with a condom, in total, the mixture is aobut 99.3% effective in birth control. be carefull though, some condoms with spermacide break easier than regular condoms

[Daisy]

Spermicides irritate the vagina and facilitate infections in women. Spermicides have been shown to make women more vulnerable to HIV. Spermicides cause microscoping tears in the vaginal lining, hence it is easier for pathogens (bad germs) to enter the body.
At ST, we generally advise AGAINST the use of spermicide. a properly applied condom with water-based lube will generally suffice to prevent pregnancy and STDs

[jumpthemoon]

I must agree with Daisy. Spermicides are bad news. A long-term study of spermicide use in prostitutes in Africa showed that the prostitutes who used spermicides were actually MORE likely to contract HIV than those who did not.

What most people do not know is that Nonoxynol-9, the most commonly used spermicide, is a detergent. Using N-9 is akin to putting shampoo or hand soap directly in your vagina or rectum, and then engaging in vigorous friction (i.e. sex.) That doesn't sound very fun, does it? N-9 damages the vaginal and rectal linings in exactly the same way that hand soap or shampoo would, although on a smaller scale.

If you are in a completely monogamous relationship, in which both parties have tested disease free, then you may want to use spermicide for birth control only. You could use it in conjunction with a diaphragm or a cervical cap. However, if you are using condoms alone, it is better to use condoms without spermicide.

[vetta]

As a further note, the amount of spermicide present on "spermicidal condoms" really isn't enough to kill all or even most of the sperm present. There isn't much on there to begin with and a great deal of it comes off on the package and on the user's hands while putting the condom on. By the time it's all said and done, there just isn't enough left to do more than irritate things anyway.

[Brunette]

when i first talked to a doctor about birth control options, she told me that condoms alone are about 86 percent effective and that spermicides alone are just shy of 15 percent effective, so if you use them together it's very unlikely you'll get pregnant. however, i'm not sure that condoms with built in spermicides have the same effectiveness as if you bought spermicides separately.