Barrier Methods

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Recommendations for Contraceptive Use

Barrier Methods

Q.1. Are there any risks to a fetus conceived while using spermicides or due to spermicide use during pregnancy for sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention?

Recommendations

Rationale

The weight of the evidence is that there is no risk to the fetus from spermicide exposure.

The active ingredient in most spermicide products, nonoxynol-9 (N-9), is absorbed in small quantities from the vagina during use. No adverse systemic effects from N-9 have ever been shown in women. One study found that users of spermicide products containing nonoxynol-9 or octoxynol had a higher risk of congenital malformations in pregnancies conceived during use than did non-users. But several subsequent studies on spermicide use and birth defects have not shown any association, and researchers do not believe that spermicide use has any adverse effects on the fetus.

Jick H, Walker AM, Rothman KJ, Hunter JR, Holmes LB, Watkins RN, et al. Vaginal spermicides and congenital disorders. Journal of the American Medical Association 1981;245:1329-32.

Simpson J, Phillips O. Spermicides, hormonal contraception and congenital malformations. Advances in Contraception 1990;6(3):141-67.

Einarson TR, Koren G, Mattice D, Schechter-Tsafriri O. Maternal spermicide use and adverse reproductive outcome: a meta-analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 1990;162:655-60.

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Any part of Recommendations for Updating Selected Practices in Contraceptive Use may be reproduced or adapted to meet local needs without prior permission from the TG/CWG Secretariat, provided the TG/CWG is acknowledged and the material is made available free of charge or at cost.

Last Updated: 09 Jul 2003

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