U.S. patent number 3,780,730 [Application Number 05/147,798] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-25 for contraceptive.
Invention is credited to Abner I. Weisman.
United States Patent |
3,780,730 |
Weisman |
December 25, 1973 |
CONTRACEPTIVE
Abstract
A six-way acting vaginal contraceptive having a body of
sponge-like resilient compressible absorbent material, the body
being initially compressed on one axis by a string and on the other
axis by a band to form two bifurcated butterfly ends which in turn
form a pair of barriers across the vaginal canal, the inner barrier
being adapted to lie against the cervix of the uterus and the edges
of the butterfly ends being adapted to block the vaginal fornices.
The barrier ends are impregnated with a spermicide and at least one
end may be impregnated with a coital lubricant.
Inventors: |
Weisman; Abner I. (New York,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
22522936 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/147,798 |
Filed: |
May 28, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
128/832;
128/834 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
6/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
6/08 (20060101); A61F 6/00 (20060101); A61f
005/46 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/127,128,130,260,285
;273/160 ;2/151,154 ;161/7,9 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Dunne; G. F.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or
property is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A contraceptive having a flexible, compressible elastic,
resilient sponge-like body and comprising:
a band located substantially centrally of said body;
and compressing said body at said band;
said body flaring on each side of said central band,
said body being additionally compressed at an axis substantially
normal to that of said band;
the flaring portions of said body on each side of said band being
thereby bifurcated to form a butterfly arrangement;
a string; said string effecting said additional compression;
an end of said string passing between said bifurcated portion of
the body on one side and extending beyond the boundary of the
body.
2. The contraceptive of claim 1 in which at least one end is
impregnated with a spermicide.
3. The contraceptive of claim 1 wherein the original body prior to
the placement of the string and band thereon is substantially cubic
in shape, the edge of said cube having a dimension of the order of
3 inches.
4. A contraceptive having a flexible, compressible elastic,
resilient sponge-like body and comprising:
a band located substantially centrally of said body;
and compressing said body at said band;
said body flaring on each side of said central band;
at least one end of said body being impregnated with a
spermicide.
5. A contraceptive having a flexible, compressible elastic,
resilient sponge-like body and comprising:
a band located substantially centrally of said body;
and compressing said body at said band;
said body flaring on each side of said central band,
at least one end of said body being impregnated with a
lubricant.
6. A contraceptive device having a flexible compressible
sponge-like body and comprising a pair of flaring ends and a
section of lesser cross-sectional dimension between the flaring
ends,
and a string surrounding said portion having a lesser
cross-sectional dimension;
said string having an extension beyond said sponge-like body,
one of said flaring ends being impregnated with a spermicide and
the other of said flaring ends being impregnated with a lubricant.
Description
The present invention relates to contraceptives and more
particularly to an insertable contraceptive device which has a
double butterfly construction so arranged as to block the cervix of
the uterus (the entry to the uterus) as well as to provide a
blocking action for the vaginal fornices thereby preventing the
formation of pools of sperm-containing material; because the
butterfly construction comprises a similar arrangement at each
axial end, it provides a second blocking wall directed toward the
entry which blocking wall will form a first barrier to the entry
and passage of sperm-carrying material (seminal fluid). The
invention contemplates that the insertable double butterfly
blocking device will be made of a highly compressible resilient and
elastic foam material such as cellular or foam rubber, neoprene,
polystyrene and other similar materials which will not be
decomposed in the presence of body fluids or vaginal acidity, which
will maintain its resiliency, elasticity and cellular condition
when inserted and which will also have the capacity to absorb and
retain spermicidal and other fluid materials in close proximity to
the various body parts including especially the cervix and the
vaginal fornices.
Social scientists have been seriously concerned with the
over-population problem and the future population explosion. In the
United States alone approximately 4,000,000 babies are born
annually of which it is estimated that approximately 2,000,000 are
unwanted pregnancies. In the six months period between July 1, 1970
and Dec. 31, 1970, 70,000 legal abortions were performed in New
York City alone and it has been estimated that about 1,000,000
abortions were performed during the year 1970 in the United States.
It has also been estimated that about 600,000 children were born to
out-of-wedlock mothers in the same period. These figures do not of
course include the 1,000,000 aborted embryos from women who did not
desire to have children at that time.
Although there are many and varied contraceptives and contraceptive
agents which have been available for many years, those previously
in general use have suffered from major defects either in
construction, use or application or in their original concept as
evidenced by the increasingly large number of unwanted pregnancies
despite their utilization. Perforation, improper placement or
misuse of barrier type devices are well known. The utilization of
contraceptive material without carriers thereof other than the
jellies, foams or fluids in which they are contained have resulted
in undesired and unwanted pregnancies owing to the fact that the
spermicidal material carried thereby is not held for a sufficient
length of time in the desired location in relation to the cervical
opening. For instance, a pool of sperm-carrying material may form
in the posterior or lower fornix and if the spermicidal material is
not held in situ for sufficient length of time, which may be
several hours, a sperm cell may migrate to the cervical opening and
cause a pregnancy.
The present invention contemplates the formation of a double
barrier, each of the barriers extending substantially normal to the
axis of the passage to the uterus and each of the barriers being
formed of a compressible resilient and elastic foamed material
having minute passages, channels and cells which may retain
spermicidal and other fluids and which will absorb, retain, block
and immobilize sperms in the seminal ejaculate.
The double barrier as above pointed out is formed by the butterfly
construction in which essentially a large cube of the sponge-like
material is girdled by a string passing over four sides
approximately midway between the two remaining faces of the cube.
The string is pulled tight until the central portion of the cube is
completely compressed by the string. This compresses the four walls
which the string has traversed toward each other and toward the
center of the cube, leaving the two opposite faces uncompressed and
bowed with the edges of the opposite faces adjacent the compressed
faces forming a butterfly construction. The string is pulled out
between the two compressed butterfly faces on one side. Thereafter
the structure thus formed is girdled by a tape passing around the
two faces which have not been compressed by the string, compressing
these two faces and the remaining material toward each other at the
center.
This operation now forms the double butterfly construction in which
at each end the material of the now compressed cube flares out
resiliently, compressibly and elastically into two wings on each
side, the edges of which are squeezed toward each other.
In use, the double butterfly structure is inserted with the portion
of the butterfly structure, from which the string extends,
extending toward the opening while the other butterfly structure
extends towards the interior; both are substantially normal to the
axis of the unit. The faces on each side of the double butterfly
structure may expand to a size larger than any object which may
reasonably be inserted into the vaginal passage; the walls of the
passage are sufficiently elastic, dilatable and contractible to
permit of the entry of the entire structure.
The double barrier thus obtained by the two butterfly structures
provides an efficient barrier against the passage of fluid from one
side to the other. Further activity and the insertion by the male
will force the butterfly structure further into the vaginal canal
to form a full block and still further action will position the
butterfly so that it lies close against the cervix and the wings
thereof extend into the fornices.
The portion of the butterfly contraceptive intended to be adjacent
to the cervix uteri is impregnated with a fluidy spermicidal agent.
The rear of the contraceptive device directed toward the opening to
the body is also impregnated with a spermicidal agent; this area
may also be impregnated with an appropriate lubricating material
such as a jelly or a material which is a composite lubricant and
spermicidal agent.
Therefore in addition to the double barrier which is provided, the
sperm material should be killed or immobilized by the spermicidal
agent at the face of the first barrier. Should any of the
sperm-carrying material penetrate at all toward the area adjacent
the cervix as, for instance, should it enter the posterior fornix
which is at the lowest point during the operation and form a pool
there despite the barrier (which should not occur) the spermicidal
material at the face toward the cervix uteri will kill the sperms
in that location and any sperm which tends to migrate toward the
uterus.
In the event that the material of the initial cube from which the
device is formed (owing to its compressibility, resilience and
elasticity) should not be sufficiently absorbent then the two
opposite faces of the cube which will form the butterfly ends may
be provided with a highly absorbent surface laminated or otherwise
secured or integrated with the cube so that an efficient retainer
for the spermicidal material and any lubricant that may be used
will be provided at the desired location.
In use the entire double butterfly contraceptive is compressed into
a tubular container provided with openings at each end which may be
covered and air-tight during storage. The covers are removed prior
to insertion and the double butterfly contraceptive device is
pushed through the tube into the vaginal canal and up close to the
uterus; an appropriate pushing device or plunger may be provided
for this purpose.
The primary object of the present invention therefore is the
provision of a highly compressible, elastic, absorbent sponge-like
double butterfly type structure which may readily be inserted.
A further object of this invention is the provision of such an
insertable member so arranged that it forms an effective double
barrier or dam against the penetration of sperm-carrying
material.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of
the double barrier so arranged that in use and in action it is
forced home to a further complete blocking position where it not
only blocks the entry to the uterus but also blocks the
fornices.
Still another object of the present invention is the formation of
the multifaceted butterfly wings of highly absorbent material to
absorb the sperms and their environmental medium.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of
the double blocking structural action in combination with the
utilization of the absorbent, resilient, elastic soft material to
carry and automatically dispense spermicidal material as well as
lubricating material both on insertion and in use.
The foregoing and many other objects of this invention will become
apparent in the following description and drawings in which
FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a spongy cube which is utilized
as the first step in the manufacture of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of an alternate cube structure
hereinafter more specifically described.
FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the cube structure of either
FIG. 1 or 2 in which the string has been drawn tight around four
faces of the cube to form the butterfly structure.
FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken at line 3a--3a of FIG. 3
looking in the direction of the arrows.
FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the next stage in the
manufacture of the novel contraceptive in which a band has been
placed around the structure of FIG. 3 in order to form the double
butterfly arrangement.
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken at line 4a-- 4a of FIG. 4
looking in the direction of the arrows.
FIG. 5 is a view taken from line 5 -- 5 of FIG. 4 looking in the
direction of the arrows.
FIG. 6 is a view showing the novel double butterfly contraceptive
encased in an open ended tube, also showing the removable
covers.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the manner in which the double
butterfly contraceptive may be expelled from the tube into the
canal.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the double butterfly
contraceptive device initially inserted as a double barrier in the
vagina.
FIG. 8A corresponds to FIG. 8 and shows further insertion.
FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to that of FIGS. 8 and 8A showing
the location of the double butterfly contraceptive against the
uterus and blocking off the fornices as a result of action during
use.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is here shown a cube 10 of absorbent
resilient elastic highly compressible material such as sponge or
foam rubber, neoprene, polyurethane or other materials which will
readily expand elastically on the removal of compressive force and
having an appropriate cellular, channel or sponge formation
providing capillary means to absorb and hold fluid materials such
as the spermicidal agent and lubricating materials hereinabove and
hereinafter referred to and to dispense those materials on
compression thereof. When the unit is fully compressed from the
cube of FIG. 1 into the double butterfly contraceptive 20 of FIG. 4
face 11 of the cube will form the faces 21 and 22 respectively of
the double butterfly contraceptive of FIG. 4.
In the event greater absorption and capillary attraction and
holding of spermicidal and other fluid material is required at
these faces, the initial cube may be formed as shown in FIG. 2
wherein in the basic cube 10A has laminations 11a and 12a of highly
absorbtive material secured thereto in any suitable manner to
provide for maximum absorption and fluid retaining power at these
faces.
A string is passed around the sides 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the cube
of FIG. 1 or the corresponding sides of the cube of FIG. 2 and
drawn tight to produce the intermediate structure shown in FIGS. 3
and 3A. It will thus be seen that the face 11 has been compressed
to the face 21 of FIGS. 3 and 3A comprising the butterfly sections
21a and 22b. Similarly the opposite face 12 has been formed into
two butterfly sections 23a and 24b (see also FIGS. 4 and 5).
A tape 30 is then passed around the remaining sides 15, 16 as shown
in FIGS. 4 and 4A to compress the structure of FIGS. 3 and 3A into
the structure of FIGS. 4 and 4A. The adhesive tape 30 compresses
the central axis of the contraceptive of FIG. 4 to the greatest
possible extent. The adhesive tape 30 is then secured in position
so that it will remain forming the completed contraceptive 4 and
4A.
The contraceptive of FIG. 4 may most aptly be described as a double
butterfly arrangement having the butterfly elements 23a and 24b at
either end. The tail of string 17 passes between the butterfly
elements 21a and 22b of end 21 and provides a means for withdrawal
and retrieval of the contraceptive if required.
The contraceptive of FIG. 4 is arranged so that the axial distance
between surfaces surface of butterfly 21a and 22b on the one hand
and the surfaces of butterfly elements 23a and 24b on the other
hand is greater than the diameter of the butterfly contraceptive
20. This ensures that insertion will occur in the proper
orientation.
In addition, the presence of the withdrawal tail string 17 ensures
that insertion into the canal will be in a direction so that the
string may later be used for retrieval. Therefore it is intended
that in use, the double butterfly contraceptive 20 be first
inserted and moved to the position of FIG. 8 adjacent the uterus.
The movement to this position, owing to frictional contact with the
wall of the canal 40 ensures that the end 23a and 24b of the double
butterfly contraceptive 20 will spread to form a complete barrier.
The walls 40 of the canal are sufficiently flexible so that they
will follow the contour of the operative face of the barrier formed
by sections 23a and 24b as seen in FIG. 5. This will serve to
provide a first barrier across the canal 40.
A second barrier is formed by butterfly elements 21a and 22b of the
end 21 of the butterfly contraceptive 20 of FIG. 4 and as shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9. The outer surface of the butterfly elements 23a and
24b of the double butterfly contraceptive of FIGS. 4 and 8 may be
impregnated with a fluid spermicidal agent. Hence any sperms
carried by any sperm carrying material which may possibly penetrate
the double barrier above described will be subjected to the
spermicidal agent. The opposite end 21 of the double butterfly
contraceptive of FIGS. 4 and 8 may have its exposed surface
impregnated also with a spermicidal agent as well as a lubricating
material. Since any sperm carrying material which will be ejected
will first strike the barrier formed by end 21 of the double
butterfly contraceptive, the sperm therein will be subjected to the
spermicidal agent held and released by the elements 21a and 22b of
the end 21 and absorbed by them. Should any of the sperm or sperm
carrying material penetrate past the first barrier at end 21, it
will be subjected to the second barrier at end 22 consisting of the
butterfly elements 23a and 24b. Should such sperm or sperm-carrying
material nevertheless penetrate beyond this barrier, which is not
believed to be possible, the spermicidal agent carried thereat will
serve to kill off the sperm cells.
In operation however, owing to the action which occurs either
during the insertion of the double butterfly contraceptive 20 and
owing to the action that occurs thereafter, the double butterfly
contraceptive 20 will be forced toward the uterus 41 as shown in
FIG. 8A and on further activity and further pressure, it in such be
forced against the uterus and ends 23a and 24b of the butterfly
will be forced toward the (anterior) fornix 42 and the (posterior)
fornix 43 as seen in FIG. 9. Any sperm-carrying material which may
get past the two separate dam structures and lie in a pool in
either fornix 42 or 43, depending on the position of the user, will
now be trapped on such fornices by the butterfly elements 23a or
24b as the case may be. Since the dam formed by the butterfly
elements 23a and 24b is up against the uterus 41 the entry of sperm
into the cervical opening 45 of the uterus is blocked mechanically.
In addition, any initiation of progress of the sperm or
sperm-carrying material from either of the fornices 42 and 43
toward the cervical opening 45 of uterus 41 is also mechanically
blocked. Further, any sperm that might tend to migrate from the
fornices toward the cervical opening 45 of the uterus 41 must come
in contact with surfaces which have delivered but still retain
spermicidal material.
There have been many prior attempts to use sponge and spongelike
materials particularly in the form of spherical balls, cylinders,
or tampons for insertion in order to produce contraceptive action
and some of these had previously utilized the spongelike material
to carry spermicides. The utilization of such cylinders, balls, or
tampons has provided an incomplete damming or blocking action; no
ensurance could be obtained that the material would also form a dam
in or adjacent to the vaginal fornices even though the said
material might possibly engage the cervical opening in the
uterus.
In addition owing to the tremendous elasticity of the vaginal walls
(sufficiently elastic to permit the head of an infant to pass
through) any insertion device which is to act as a dam must have a
very substantial bulk. Thus for instance the cube of FIG. 1 with
which the process starts for the formation of the novel double
butterfly contraceptive is preferably of the order of 3 inches on a
side. This large volume and large size will ensure that when the
cube has first been compressed by the string to the condition of
FIG. 3 and compressed to its final form to form the double
butterfly contraceptive 20 of FIG. 4 there will be sufficient
volume and sufficient surface area at the opposite ends 21 and 22
of the double butterfly arrangement to form an efficient blocking
and absorbing dam at each end and at the same time to retain and
dispense sufficient amounts of spermicide and lubricant. Since a 3
inch cube would hardly be psychologically acceptable for insertion,
while nevertheless the volume adjacent each opposite end surface is
important in order to form a dam of sufficient size and fluid
retaining material of sufficient size, the first compression into
the shape of FIG. 3 and then the final compression at an axis
normal to the first compression into the final butterfly shape of
FIG. 4 produces the desired effect. The contraceptive insert first
provides two dams in series, the first of which is expected to be
sufficient to block and absorb the passage of any sperm-carrying
material while at the same time providing additional surfaces to
dispense absorbed spermicidal material as well as lubricant.
The flexibility of the ends 23a and 24b of the double butterfly
contraceptive 20 of FIG. 4 as shown particularly in FIGS. 8A and 9
provides inherently a flange-like structure which is forced into
the fornices to block any migration from any pool formed in either
fornix to the uterus and to block and dam the front of the uterus.
As will be seen particularly from FIGS. 3A, 4A and 5, the faces 23a
and 24b of the end 22 of the double butterfly contraceptive 20 of
FIG. 4 as well as the opposite faces, owing to the compression of
the large initial cube of foam material are for practical purposes
continuous with each other. The seam 50 between the two faces is
sufficiently compressed to form a continuous barrier. The
indentations at the face at the areas 51 and 52 are sufficiently
slight so that the vaginal wall may follow the contour thereof and
in fact the vaginal wall may well compress any bulging lateral area
of the face to conform to the vaginal wall. Also, as pointed out
above, the reverse action may occur in the event that these
elements of the contraceptive are not compressed, the vaginal wall
will follow their contour.
By this means therefore a complete mechanical block is obtained
consisting of essentially two dams across the vaginal wall before
the uterine opening. In addition the flexibility of the material
permits the fornices to be blocked to prevent migration of any
sperm from any pool of sperm-carrying material that may have
reached the vaginal fornices. The spermicidal material carried at
both faces should be sufficient to immobilize or to kill virtually
all of the sperm at the face 21 which is first struck by the
sperm-carrying material and to kill off any of the sperm that may
migrate past the first barrier. Any possible live sperm that may
migrate past the first barrier will be blocked by the second
barrier formed by elements 23a and 24b. If not blocked, the
spermicidal material at these faces should serve to kill off and
immobilize such sperm. The blocking of the fornices by the edges of
elements 23a and 24b at the end 22 of the double butterfly
contraceptive 20 will prevent migration of any sperm from any pool
that might have been formed in either fornix to the uterus since
both the fornices and the uterine opening are both blocked at this
point. Further, any sperm that might possibly migrate in this area
must come into close contact with the spermicidal material which
might not yet have been expressed from these surfaces and be killed
thereby. The device functions even if there is shallow penetration
or the penetrating instrument is not very long.
By this means therefore a six-way contraceptive action is obtained
by a simple mechanical insert: The first method of contraception is
that the sperm-carrying material will first be ejected against the
surface 21 which comprises the butterfly sections 21a and 22b; this
surface 21 should for all practical purposes serve to absorb all of
the sperm-carrying material and retain it within that surface.
Second, the sperm will be brought into contact with the spermicidal
material at the end 21 consisting of the elements 21a and 22b. The
sperms should be killed or immobilized by this spermicidal
material. Third, a dam is provided by the action of the butterfly
elements 21a and 22b to block the passage of sperm-carrying
material and sperm past the end 21 of the double butterfly
contraceptive 20. Fourth, a second dam is provided by the elements
23a, 24b at the end 22 which should block the passage of
sperm-carrying material past this dam. Fifth, in the event any
sperm-carrying material should penetrate both dams and come to rest
at the fornices, the extension of the ends of elements 23a and 24b
into the fornices while the center of the unit bears against the
cervical opening 45 of the uterus provides a further blocking
action. Sixth, the spermicidal fluid dispensed and retained at the
surfaces 23a and 24b will serve to kill any sperm which may
possibly have penetrated the spermicidal areas and the dam and
which may attempt to migrate from either of the fornices to the
cervical opening 45 of the uterus 41.
The device itself provides physically (1) a blocking action (2) an
absorptive action for the semen. The chemical impregnation provides
(1) a spermicidal action and (2) immobilization of the sperm.
From experience, the first dam and the spermicidal material
retained thereby at the end 21 and formed by elements 21a and 22b
of the double butterfly contraceptive 20 should be sufficient for
full contraception. The utilization of the additional dam 23a
formed by the elements 23a and 24b and the action of such
additional elements as hereinafter described should by themselves
furnish full contraception; nevertheless these additional elements
are required only to act with respect to material which may only
problematically have gone beyond the first dam at end 21 and might
have resisted the spermicidal action at that end. Further, the
utilization of spermicidal material at the inner end 22 in
connection with the second dam and the action of the second dam
provides a final contraceptive action which may in actual practice
never have to come into play but is present for the purpose of
ensuring complete contraception.
The butterfly contraceptive element 20 prior to insertion if
permitted to be fully expanded would at its end 22 have a diameter
of the order of from 1 1/2 to 2 inches which, while insertable,
presents at least a psychological block to insertion. It should be
noted, as pointed out above, that the vaginal walls have a great
amount of flexibility, can be dilated to an unexpected extent so
that the vaginal walls will have no problem accommodating
themselves comfortably to the insertion of a unit having a cross
section of this diameter. Since the foam resilient elastic material
of which the unit is made is very soft, the resilient and elastic
vaginal walls and the resilient and elastic unit will cooperate to
reduce the diameter of the unit when it is inserted and to ensure
complete blockage. The length of the butterfly contraceptive,
uncompressed, is of the order of 2 1/4 inches. However, when the
unit is inserted as shown in FIG. 8, or driven home as shown in
FIG. 9, the length of the unit is determined almost entirely by the
width of the tape 30. I have found that since the tape is of the
order of 1/2 inch in width, the unit once inserted and in use may
actually have an axial dimension of well under 1 inch (close to
that of the width of the type which may itself wrinkle and collapse
to a smaller width in use) owing to the flexibility,
compressibility, resilience and softness of the foam material.
However, in order to remove any possible psychological barrier to
the insertion of a device which appears to be so large, I have
provided a capsule type of container 60 as seen in FIG. 6, having
two removable covers 61 and 62. The capsule is preferably about 2
1/2 inches long axially and slightly under 1 inch in diameter and
is sized so that it may be inserted as shown in FIG. 7 into the
opening 65 of the vaginal canal. The contraceptive may then be
pushed completely into the canal by the finger or by an appropriate
plunger 66 having a handle 67 of sufficient length to ensure
complete insertion of the double butterfly contraceptive 20.
The materials used whether foam rubber, polyurethane, neoprene or
other cellular or spongelike materials may be made sufficiently
soft so that they can be readily compressed into the capsule 60 and
readily expelled therefrom. In addition the lubricant at the end 21
of the double butterfly contraceptive will facilitate the movement
of the contraceptive 20 out of the capsule as it will also
facilitate the movement thereof further into the canal to the
positions of FIGS. 8 and 9. In use the additional force which
occurs, as indicated at 70 of FIG. 9, will drive the double
butterfly contraceptive 20 to a final full blocking position.
Even if it is driven only to the position of FIG. 8A, full blocking
and absorptive action will occur and the spermicidal and
immobilizing chemical will be available to perform its
function.
The string 17 shown in FIG. 4 and tucked into the vagina will be
available for removal of the unit at any desired time. It should be
kept in mind that since the blocking action is present at all times
while the contraceptive is in position and the spermicidal action
is present as long as the unit retains any spermicide and the canal
and all parts within are bathed by the spermicidal action there is
no need for immediate removal of the contraceptive unit and it may
be left in for a substantial period of time. Ths string will
however permit removal at any time.
In the foregoing the invention has been described only in
connection with preferred illustrative embodiments thereof. Since
many variations and modification of this invention will be apparent
to those skilled in the art, it is preferred to be bound not by the
specific disclosure herein contained but only by the appended
claims.
* * * * *