With ideal use, condoms are 98% effective, but not everyone uses condoms perfectly every time. You may be wondering if Phexxi is more effective than condoms. Following the instructions precisely will decrease your chances of getting pregnant. Almost 14% of women got pregnant during that time. In clinical trials, Phexxi was tested for seven menstrual cycles and was about 86% effective at preventing pregnancy. You can use Phexxi during any part of the menstrual cycle. Phexxi can be used with other contraception forms, including birth control pills, condoms, and diaphragms, but it cannot be used with vaginal rings, such as NuvaRing. And if vaginal intercourse does not occur within one hour, apply an additional dose.

If you have sex more than once within one hour, you must use an additional dose of Phexxi. Phexxi only works when used before sexual intercourse-it will not prevent pregnancy if you use it after engaging in vaginal sex. If you are considering Phexxi for the prevention of pregnancy, ask your healthcare provider for more information. Finally, you’ll remove the applicator-it’s okay if there’s a small amount of the vaginal gel remaining inside of the device. Next, place the applicator-as far as you comfortably can-into your vagina, using the plunger to release its contents. To use Phexxi, insert the included plunger rod into the prefilled applicator, removing the cap. If you use it as prescribed-inserting a second dose only if an hour has passed with no vaginal sex-there is no risk of overdose. Each prefilled applicator contains one, 5-gram dose. Phexxi was designed to be placed inside the vagina right before sex (or up to one hour before) and lasts up to an hour. Though they don’t protect you from STDs, non-hormonal IUDs can be used long-term-for 3-12 years. Non-hormonal birth control such as condoms offer protection from sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia that hormonal options don’t protect from. With hormone-free birth control, such as Phexxi, you won’t experience any of the side effects common with such contraceptives (nausea, headache, breast tenderness, weight gain, irregular bleeding, acne, mood changes, and decreased libido). What are the benefits of hormone-free birth control?īirth control containing the hormone estrogen can increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, and high blood pressure, and has been linked to increased risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. But Phexxi keeps the vaginal pH between 3.5 to 4.5, which lowers the chance of the sperm reaching the egg by decreasing sperm motility.Įvofem Biosciences manufactures Phexxi, and there is currently no generic available. Usually, when sperm enters the vagina, it raises the vagina’s pH, and the sperm is able to travel to the egg. The normal range of the vagina’s pH level is 3.5 to 4.5. Phexxi works by lowering the vagina’s pH, making it difficult for sperm to survive and reach the egg.

(Birth control pills and many other forms of birth control are hormonal contraceptives.) How does Phexxi work? Unlike traditional birth control, Phexxi does not contain hormones.

A prescription medication, Phexxi contains the active ingredients lactic acid, citric acid, and potassium bitartrate. Phexxi is a birth control gel approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) in May 2020. RELATED: The future of male birth control What is Phexxi? But you may not know about a new option: a birth control gel, called Phexxi. If you belong to this age group, you may know about various birth control methods, such as male or female condoms, birth control pills, IUDs, patches, shots, implants, and vaginal rings. More than 65% of women of childbearing age use some form of birth control, according to the CDC.

Phexxi birth control