How Many Times Can You Use A Cervical Cap

A cervical cap is a reusable, hormone-gratuitous, silicone cup that's inserted into the vagina up to six hours before sexual practice to preclude pregnancy. Also known as FemCap (or the cap, cervical barrier, the shield, or Lea'due south Shield) this is a safe, user-friendly, and constructive nativity control method. 1 cervical cap tin can last for up to ii years.

Cervical caps are a type of barrier nascency command. The cervical cap is similar to a diaphragm — both a diaphragm and a cervical cap foreclose sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg. But unlike a diaphragm, a cervical cap is much smaller.

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How to Employ

Subsequently some practice, cervical caps are easy to use. You lot insert the cervical cap into your vagina and make certain that it fits closely over your cervix. The cervical cap will keep sperm from inbound your uterus by forming a secure seal effectually your cervix. For added protection, you should also be using spermicide along with your cervical cap.

You can insert your cervical cap before having sex (y'all tin really insert your cervical cap upward to six hours before you plan to have sex). After having sex activity, you lot should wait at least vi hours before removing — do not exit your cervical cap in place for more than 48 hours. You lot practise not need to take out your cervical cap if you lot program on having sexual practice over again. All you have to do is add together more spermicide manner downwards deep in your vagina.

Pros and Cons

Yous may dearest the thought of a cervical cap because:

Information technology is unimposing and can easily exist carried in your pocket or pocketbook
Information technology is effective immediately and completely reversible
Neither you nor your partner volition typically experience your cervical cap
Information technology does not interrupt sex activity (since you lot can insert information technology alee of fourth dimension)
Cervical caps do not affect your natural hormones (they are hormone-gratis), so they can also be used past breastfeeding mommies

Possible drawbacks include:

Y'all tin't use your cervical cap when you are having a period
It may be pushed out of place past some penis sizes, heavy thrusting during sexual activity, and certain sexual positions
You may find it hard to insert your cervical cap
You lot take to make sure that your cervical cap is in the proper identify every time yous accept sex

Placement

Just follow these instructions and y'all'll have your cervical cap inserted in a cakewalk! (Here'southward a quick tip: it is much easier to insert your cervical cap earlier you become sexually aroused.)

Wash your hands (don't forget the soap).
Put about a pea-sized amount of spermicide in the dome of your cervical cap. And so spread a thin layer around the edge. Put another pea-sized amount of spermicide in the folded area between the dome and the edge.
Discover a comfy position (lie down, stand up with one foot on a chair, squat, or sit down on the edge of a chair).
Insert your index and eye fingers into your vagina, so you can find your cervix. Doing this will help you to determine where to place your cervical cap.
Squeeze the rim of your cervical cap together with one hand and then dissever your labia with your other hand. Insert the cervical cap (dome-side downward) into your vagina, with the long edge going in first.
Push button your cervical cap down towards your tush and and so up and onto your cervix.

Removal

Taking out your cervical cap is as easy as 1, two, three (simply make sure it's been at least six hours since you had sexual practice).

Again, wash your hands with soap!
Squat down, grab the removal strap, and rotate your cervical cap.
Push on the cervical cap'due south dome with your finger (this breaks the suction). Then use your finger to hook information technology under the removal strap and pull out your cervical cap.

Maintenance

After removing your cervical cap, information technology should exist done, rinsed with warm h2o, dried, and stored in its instance. Brand sure to practice this each fourth dimension you use it. You should not use oil-based lubricants (like petroleum jelly or baby oil) with your cervical cap considering these substances may harm it.

Besides, information technology is a good idea to examine your cervical cap regularly. You can do this by looking for minor holes or weak spots — belongings your cervical cap up to the light or fill information technology with water (and await for leaks). Your cervical cap can still be used if it has become discolored, but should not be used if you lot notice any holes or weakened areas (to be on the safe side, utilise a back-upwards birth control method). As long as you lot take proper intendance of your cervical cap, it should last you for nigh two years.

How to Obtain Ane

You accept to go to your healthcare provider to get a cervical cap. Why? A cervical cap is considered to exist a prescription nativity command method.

At your appointment, your healthcare provider will examine you lot and make sure that y'all are a good candidate for a cervical cap. If then, your healthcare provider will and then determine which size cervical cap will best fit your trunk. Make sure to inquire for information about how to properly employ your cervical cap. Your healthcare provider will so requite you lot a prescription, so you can pick upwards your new cervical cap.

FemCap Sizes

FemCap comes in three sizes:

Pocket-size: Used if you have never been pregnant.
Medium: Used if you take always had a cesarean section commitment or abortion.
Large: Used if you take ever had a vaginal nascence.

Costs

Once you accept your cervical cap prescription, y'all can buy information technology at your local pharmacy. Costs include the cost for your healthcare provider'south exam (tin range up to $250), the cost of your cervical cap (can cost up to $100), and the price of spermicide (may toll up to $25).

Effectiveness

If you lot accept never given nascence, the cervical cap is:

84 pct effective with typical apply
91 percent effective with perfect utilize

Of every 100 people who apply cervical caps for one twelvemonth, for those who have non given nativity, 16 will become pregnant (with typical use) and 9 will become pregnant with perfect use.

If you lot accept given birth, the cervical cap is:

68 percent effective with typical employ
74 percent constructive with perfect use

Of every 100 people who use cervical caps for one twelvemonth, for those who have given nascence, 32 will get significant (with typical use) and 26 volition become pregnant with perfect use.

To increase the effectiveness of your cervical cap, make sure to practice inserting and removing your cervical cap before actually using it during sex. The highest hazard of pregnancy occurs during the first few months of use. Also, bank check the position of your cervical cap before and afterwards sexual practice to make sure that it has stayed in identify. If your cap has moved during sex activity, yous may want to consider using emergency contraception.

Currently Bachelor

Right now, FemCap is the simply available cervical cap in the United States.

Lea'due south Shield is a silicone cup with an air valve and a loop to remove and comes in one size. It was FDA-approved in 2002 only is no longer being offered in the U.South.

Verywell Wellness uses just loftier-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more than almost how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Koeniger-Donohue R. "The FemCap." Avant-garde Health Assessment of Women: Clinical Skills and Procedures. Springer Publishing Visitor; 2014: 379-386.
Nelson AL, Russo J. "Barrier contraceptives." In: The Handbook of Contraception. Springer Nature; 2016:181–202.

By Dawn Stacey, PhD, LMHC
Dawn Stacey, PhD, LMHC, is a published writer, college professor, and mental wellness consultant with over 15 years of counseling experience.

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