Acceptability of two spermicides in five countries

Data from a large, international, multicenter, randomized trial were analyz ed to compare the acceptability of two nonoxynol-9 spermicide preparations. Women who wished to use a spermicide for contraception were randomly assig ned to use either a foaming tablet (n = 383) or a nonoxynol-9 film (n = 382 ) for 28 weeks as their only method of contraception. Participants complete d questionnaires about acceptability of the assigned product 4 weeks after admission and at discontinuation. Women in both groups had very favorable o pinions of the spermicide. The proportion of women who said that they liked their assigned product very much was 50% in the tablet group and 55% in th e film group. Significantly more women in the film group rated the spermici de difficult to insert and stated that the product stuck to the finger duri ng insertion. More women in the tablet group said that the product was mess y and that, at least once, it did not dissolve. In both groups, liking the product was significantly associated with consistency of use, but not with subsequent pregnancy. Participants' male partners had little influence on p articipants' opinions about, or use of, the spermicides. Although previous analyses showed that both spermicides are associated with high pregnancy ra tes, they are both highly acceptable to most women. CONTRACEPTION 1999; 60: 45-50 (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.