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The Facts on Foam
By Shel Franco

Crocodile dung and honey. What could they possibly have in common?

In the past, both were mixed with other ingredients and inserted into the vagina to prevent pregnancy. It sounds weird, but the strange concoctions worked. A woman's body temperature melted the crude suppository into a barrier over the cervix. This is called a pessary. And believe it or not, pessaries are used today. (Of course, they're not made of crocodile dung.)

Millions of women follow in their ancient ancestors' footsteps when they use contraceptive foams. This method of birth control not only forms a barrier against the cervix, but also kills sperm with the addition of a spermicidal chemical.

The Use
If you follow the directions and use foam each time you have intercourse, research places your risk of getting pregnant at about 80 percent. And you have the power to increase those odds by using condoms, according to Susan Dantoni, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist in Geneva, N.Y. Many sources put the effectiveness of using foam and condoms together at about 95 percent.

foam The foam comes with an applicator. While lying down, a woman inserts the applicator far up into the vagina and pushes a plunger to release the foam. The goal is to deposit the foam as close to the cervix as possible.

You may also come across contraceptive jellies and suppositories or inserts that work on the same basic principle as foam does. One difference to keep in mind may be that the suppositories do not require an applicator, and some brands may need to be inserted with a finger.

The Positives
"I found the foam to be really easy to use, much easier than the diaphragm that I originally tried after my son's birth," says Michelle Smith of Chico, Calif.

There's a lot of ease associated with foam use. It's easy to find and inexpensive. You won't need a prescription, and it's available at your local drug store. There are no hormones to affect your moods or make you gain weight. Unlike the Pill, you don't have to remember to insert the foam every day at a certain time. You won't have to visit your doctor every so many months for a shot in the arm. And you can plan a pregnancy the minute you stop using the foam.

The Negatives
Despite the ease, there are disadvantages, starting with the rate of effectiveness. Even though 80 percent is a high number, in this age of near 100 percent effective birth control methods, foam alone is not a top competitor. The fact is that 20 or more women out of every 100 foam users will get pregnant.

"It was not very long before I found that I was pregnant with my second child, so foam didn't prove very effective for me, after all," Smith says.

Aside from the risk of getting pregnant, foam users might see a change in their sex life. "The biggest disadvantage would be loss of spontaneity," says Carrie Hall of Alberta, Canada.

The directions can seem a bit overwhelming at first: applicators, lying on your back after insertion, waiting 10 minutes before having intercourse, having intercourse 20 to 30 minutes after insertion, reinserting if 30 minutes have passed or you decide to have intercourse multiple times, and so on.

"It can also tend to be a little messy," Hall adds. And not only during insertion. After intercourse, some women find that the foam drips from their vagina.

In addition, there's always the chance that the spermicide will irritate some users. And Dr. Dantoni adds something else. "Some people are allergic," she says.

The Bottom Line
While you don't need a doctor's prescription, it's important to your general health to stay up to date on your yearly exams. If you have questions, ask your doctor his or her thoughts on contraceptive foam. Once you decide to give it a try, keep an eye out for any itching, odd vaginal discharge, or other indications that you might be having a reaction to the spermicide.

If you don't want hormones and your partner doesn't want condoms and neither one of you would freak at the idea of having another baby, foam might be your contraceptive answer. The only way to know is to take a trip to the drug store and hope the baby goes to bed at a reasonable time.

Want to See More? Read other installments in the Babies Today Birth Control Series!

About the Author: Shel Franco is an iParenting senior contributing writer living in Pennsylvania with her husband, Todd, their two sons and one pug dog.

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