Authors' objectives: Background For more than a century female barrier contraceptives have been an important choice for women who want locally, rather than systemically acting, methods. Since the introduction of pessaries in the middle of the 20th century they were the only controlled contraceptive method for females for many years. Vaginal barriers with diaphragms or cervical caps are mostly combined with spermicidal gels or creams. Today, there is an increasing interest of hormone-free contraceptive methods. Objectives To evaluate whether new types of pessaries such as FemCap, Caya or equivalent products differ in prevention of pregnancy compared with older types of pessaries such as Milex or Ortho All-Flex, and whether different types of gels differ in prevention of pregnancy.

Authors' results and conclusions: The pregnancy rates are rather high in women who use female barrier contraceptives. The new types of pessaries have not been shown to differ significantly from the old types in their efficacy to prevent pregnancies. Acid buffering gels do not differ from the spermicidal nonoxynol-9 gels with regard to pregnancies, but seem to be better tolerated by the women.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2017

URL for published report: https://mellanarkiv-offentlig.vgregion.se/alfresco/s/archive/stream/public/v1/source/available/sofia/su4372-1728378332-333/native/2017_97%20HTA-rapport%20Pessar.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Full HTA

Organisation Name: The Regional Health Technology Assessment Centre

Contact Address: The Regional Health Technology Assessment Centre, Region Vastra Gotaland, HTA-centrum, Roda Straket 8, Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset, 413 45 GOTHENBORG, Sweden

Contact Name: hta-centrum@vgregion.se

Contact Email: hta-centrum@vgregion.se