SILCS diapraghm receives favorable study results

CONRAD, a leading reproductive health research organization, announced results of the SILCS Diaphragm contraceptive effectiveness study at the Reproductive Health 2011 conference of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The two-year study of 450 US women implemented at six clinical sites in the US showed that effectiveness rates of the new single-size, contoured diaphragm are similar to traditional diaphragms. In addition, SILCS was shown to be easy to use and comfortable to wear. The single-size design eliminates the need for a fitting, which should reduce the amount of time required to provide this method, and opens the potential for providing the method outside of a clinic setting in the future, if allowed by regulatory authorities.

Jill Schwartz, MD, CONRAD's medical director and study principal investigator said, "Women and societies worldwide suffer from the consequences of unintended pregnancies.  By expanding their contraceptive options with easy-to-use methods that have minimal side effects, we're also expanding the potential for women's overall health, not to mention, their families welfare." She added, "Study participants reported high marks for ease of use and comfort for both women and their partners, which is so important-the only methods that work are the kind that women will actually use."

The SILCS Diaphragm was developed at PATH, a Coalition member, and validated in collaboration with researchers at CONRAD. Development of the SILCS Diaphragm involved a user-centered design process incorporating input from women, their partners, and providers.  This feedback led to an innovative design that is comfortable and easy to use-even for women with no previous diaphragm experience. The SILCS device was developed to improve reproductive health in low-resource settings, where women have a limited range of contraceptive methods and where diaphragms are not currently available. This new diaphragm may also be important for women in developed countries, particularly for women who cannot or do not want to use hormonal methods or an IUD.  

Read the rest of the press release here.

Categories: Featured, New/Underused RH Technologies Caucus