The contraceptive sponge- an elusive form of non-hormonal contraceptive. I bought mine for $20 at CVS, and it comes with 3 sponges. It’s definitely not cheap!
The Today sponge, the only available brand of sponge in the United States, is 89-91% effective. This is with perfect use. Typical use, according to Planned Parenthood, is 76-88% effective. To use the sponge, you wet it and get it all sudsy, then insert it on in your vagina! The sponge should sit blocking your cervix. It works in three ways- by killing the sperm with spermicide, the sponge absorbing sperm, and the sponge acting as a physical barrier past the cervix. Obviously, the packaging comes with more complete instructions and some fun little diagrams. And I should mention, the Today Sponge does come with a string to fish it out 🙂
These pictures are definitely pre-suds.
You can put it in for up to 24 hours before sex, so it doesn’t have to ruin the mood. After having sex, you have to wait AT LEAST 6 hours before removing it. There’s no need to replace it between each sex session!
Thank goodness this isn’t a method you have to insert in the heat of the moment, because that is just not realistic OR sexy. Inserting it was….. messy. I was squatting on my bathroom floor getting suds everywhere. My hand was soaking wet, and my bathroom floor was not much better.
Once it was in, I couldn’t feel the sponge AT ALL. It was like a fun little secret!!! My partner reported not feeling the sponge either during PIV intercourse, but claimed he could with his fingers after I told him it was in me (I don’t think I believe him). It is a sponge after all, so there’s no surprise the feeling blended right in.
All in all, this is a solid birth control method for some, but I would suggest using it in combination with another method, like the pullout method and/or condoms. I think I did the math before, and the sponge when used with a condom and the withdraw method, is more effective than using the pill and the withdrawal method alone. #MATH. Remember, The Today sponge does NOT prevent against STIs. If you use condoms as your main birth control method, but aren’t satisfied with the effectiveness of condoms alone, this could be a good option for you, if finances allow. However, you have to be comfortable touching your body to use this method, and its important to know the location of your cervix to use it correctly, and that is not for everyone.
TLDR; 6/10 Today Sponge
2020 UPDATE: The Today Sponge is sold out according to their website, due to a combination of mechanical and COVID-related issues. This really highlights the inaccessibility of birth control for people who use, especially for those looking for non-hormonal options.
Vogue Vulva 