Roizen, J.; Hardwicke, H.; Tripp, HT.; Richardson, S.; Lam, TQ. Oves?
Contraceptive Cap: Short Term Acceptability, Aspects of Use and User Satisfaction.
The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 2002 28 (4)
188-192.
Abstract: Objective: To assess
the short-term acceptability, aspects of use and user satisfaction with
the OvesŪ cap.
Design, setting and subjects: A multicentre observational
study, commissioned by Veos Ltd, manufacturers of the OvesŪ cap, was carried
out by the UK Family Planning and Reproductive Health Research Network in
collaboration with the Institute of Population Studies, University of Exeter,
Exeter, UK. Women from ten Network centres and one collaborating centre were
invited to participate. Following an assessment by vaginal examination women
were fitted with the cap and taught self-fitting by a doctor. The women were
asked to use the cap six times in 8 weeks. Participants were asked to complete
four questionnaires on various aspects of cap use including Likert-type
measures and open-ended questions on experiences with the cap. Doctors were
asked to complete a first visit and follow-up questionnaires. Women were self-selected
clients in the participating centres. Women aged 18 years and over, gynaecologically
healthy, using hormonal contraception or sterilised were eligible for the study.
Thirty-five women were enrolled and fitted with the cap; 20 chose to participate in
the study.
Main outcome measures: Ease of fitting and removal of the cap
expressed in structured and open-ended questions by both cap users and doctors;
satisfaction of women and partners with the cap, measured by desire to use the cap
in the future and by premature withdrawal from the trial.
Results: Twenty women used the cap on a total of 84 occasions.
Four women completed the trial of six uses. While most doctors did not have difficulty
with fittings or removals, 10/20 OvesŪ cap users reported some difficulty in fitting
it over the cervix and 12 reported some difficulty removing it in the first three uses.
Fewer women had difficulty in fitting in uses 4-6 but nearly half continued to have some
difficulty with removals.
Conclusions: Few women indicated that they would use the cap in the
future. However, most women were satisfied with their current method of contraception.
The study raises the question whether women using non-barrier methods of contraception
and satisfied with their current method of contraception are the appropriate target
recruits for a trial such as this, even in the absence of robust efficacy data.
|