Clinical Evaluation of C-Film,a Vaginal Contraceptive

Abstract

C-Film is a novel presentation of a vaginal contraceptive in the form of a square, water-soluble, plastic film containing the spermicide, nonylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol. The film was used as the sole contraceptive method by 237 women over a total period of 1,866 months. Fourteen pregnancies occurred, thus giving a pregnancy rate of nine per hundred woman-years. Most of these resulted from a failure to follow instructions; the true method failure being two per hundred woman-years. Life-table analysis of the results in 156 women observed for more than twelve months gives a pregnancy rate of 6·5% and a continuation rate of 68·6%. The low continuation rate was largely a reflection of the women's distrust of the method. The study, however, indicates that C-Film is a good vaginal contraceptive, which is well tolerated and acceptably reliable though it should not be considered as an alternative to oral contraception or to an intra-uterine contraceptive device.