The use of cervical caps at the university of California/Berkeley

Contraception with the cervical cap: effectiveness, safety, continuity of use, and user satisfaction

With the growing interest in barrier contraceptive methods, the cervical cap has come back into use in North America. We examined the cap's effectiveness, safety, continuity of use, and user satisfaction among 617 women who were fitted at a family planning clinic in Toronto, Canada, between May 1981 and November 1983. Follow-up information was available for 516 of these women. Using a life table analysis with Bayesian adjustment, the probability of becoming pregnant after 12 months of use was 0.166 with a standard error of 0.022. There is evidence that after 1 year of use the caps deteriorate and that this deterioration may increase the risk of pregnancy. Many of the women in this study were very satisfied with the cervical cap; however, such problems as dislodgement, discomfort to user and partner, difficulty with insertion and removal, and unpleasant odour affected acceptability and continuity of use. It is likely that these problems could be alleviated by improving the quality of or changing the materials, modifying the design to improve the fit, and providing a greater range of sizes.

The use of cervical caps at the University of California, Berkeley: a survey

A survey of cap use and efficacy of women who initially purchased a cervical cap at the University of California at Berkeley Student Health Service is described. It reports the follow-up of 65 U.C. women students who purchased either Vimule or Cavity-rim cervical caps from May, 1978 through June, 1981 and raises questions about cervical cap use and efficacy. Participants were divided into two groups: regular and irregular users. Of the 33 regular users, 16 experienced unplanned pregnancy during the study. Survival probabilities were 80% at 6 months, 73% at one year and 52% after 2 years. Life table analysis of the 33 regular users indicated a 20% probability of pregnancy in the first 6 months of use, 27% by 1 year and 48% by the end of 2 years.

The cervical cap: a retrospective study of an alternative contraceptive technique

A follow-up study on 130 women fitted with a cervical cap over a 12-month period drew a response rate of 43% (56 respondents). The group was young, well educated, and highly motivated. The failure rate was 16.9 per 100 women years (Pearl method), with inconsistent use and dislodgement being of major importance. The continuation rate was 75% (minimum 3 months of use), and 84% expressed satisfaction with the method. No significant side effects or risks to health were encountered. The conclusion is that there is a significant demand for alternative contraceptive methods among a select group of women. However, in the present state of knowledge, use of the cap should probably not be encouraged as a primary means of contraception, but should be reserved for those women with multiple contraceptive problems or for highly motivated women who seek out this means, understand its limitations, and can accept the relative uncertainty of its effectiveness.