h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Spermicide creams and jellies and the spermicides they put on condoms. How do they work? They obviously kill sperm, but how? Are they acidic or alkaline? Does it make the sperm shrivel up or their tails fall off or something? How do they actually work? Does anyone know?

Don't know yet - but if you put that question to the quite stupid "Ask Jeeves" portal it comes back with:
"Where can I find publications that advertise jobs related to accountancy?"[go]

Which explains a lot, really

[URL removed by moderator] tells us that Nonoxynol-9, the most common spermicide in the world is a non-ionic detergent, and so works by disrupting the cell membrane of the spermatazoa. Hope this helps Until later.....
BCNU - Crescent

Poor little buggers *sniff*

FYI, many shampoos and shower gel type things contain nonoxynol and its cousin octoxynol. I don't advise using shampoo as a spermicide though...

As a student, we had training in the family planning department. During a discussion session, the conversation turned to spermicides and nonoxynol-9. A very timid young girl who you'd have thought butter wouldn't melt in her mouth suddenly piped up (at a perfectly inappropriate volume) 'Eugh nonoxynol, that stuff tastes absolutely vile!'

She was never thought of as timid again.

Does that mean that they go - *pop* - then?

More or less Possibly become leaky is a better analogy.....
BCNU - Crescent

Sperm leaking..... there's a joke in there somewhere but I don't wish to lower the tone.

Oh, go on.

No I can't do it. (It is rather rude)

Maybe they just gradually deflate and get slower and sloowerr...

Good use of smileys, hey?

Well done Peta!!

There is an nonoxynol -other number as well, that I can't remember now. I think it's better. Or maybe I heard wrong.
When you use spermicide with condons they are more effective than the pill. Just fill the end of it before it goes on. *end of lesson*

Contraceptive foams block the entrance to the uterus with bubbles and contain a spermicide that immobilizes sperm, preventing it from joining with an egg.
Contraceptive creams, jellies, film, and suppositories melt into a thick liquid throughout the vagina. They block the entrance to the uterus and contain spermicide that immobilizes sperm.

More info. This question really interested me. Weird.
Apparently nonoxynol 9 also kills the HIV/AIDS thing.

HIV has a coating (protecting its genome) formed from the membrane of the cell that it leaves. Nonoxynol-9 does kill, or stop HIV reproducing in the test tube, however there are no in vivo studies to go on. Also there are reports of Nonoxynol-9 toxicity, with some women you use it often and regularly report burning sensations, vaginal and cervical ulcers and recurrent yeast infections. I would imagine that the membrane disrupting effect also effects the cells of the female using it. Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

This is a furtherance from the "eugh, nonoxynol ..." anecdote.

Apparently, (could be an urban myth) in a biology lesson, the teacher was explaining to his class how sperm was mostly glucose.

A suitably shy and retiring student, putting mouth into action before brain in gear (possibly a poor choice of analogy) piped up "If it's mostly glucose then why does it taste salty?"

Unconcerned by his pupils blatant admission, the teacher (who should be given a great deal of credit) merely said ... "The taste buds for sweetness are mostly at the tip of your tongue, whilst those for saltiness are at the back. That's why it tasted salty"!

Perhaps it was the same girl?!

Recurrent yeast infections?
I thought that was just a side effect of condoms, rather than the spermicide. Maybe I should change to a brand without it.

Candida albicans - pesky blighter.......
BCNU - Crescent

I believe that yeast infections can also be a symptom of latex allergy, so maybe you should try the other type, the non latex too?

Last time I tried one of those my boyfriend wasn't very impressed, he hated it. Was too big apparently. *snigger*
Maybe I should try again now I'm not with him anymore.