title: A comparison of satisfaction with types of diaphragms among women in a college population.
abstract: Since the 1940s diaphragms have been a popular contraceptive device used by women in the United States. This study compared three popular diaphragms and women's subjective comparisons of comfort, ease of insertion, and overall satisfaction. None of the three types, the wideseal, coil spring, or arcing spring, was found to be statistically more comfortable or easier to insert. For overall satisfaction, women were more pleased with the coil spring than the wideseal (p = .0416 at two to four weeks, p = .0759 at four to six months, and p = .0049 at one year). Women who used the arcing spring and wideseal were more pleased with the wideseal at two to four weeks (p = .0571). No significant difference was found at one year. The study results demonstrate that certain diaphragm styles may improve women's use of and satisfaction with the diaphragm.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan's Student Health Service.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loucks
mesh_terms: D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003274:Contraceptive Devices, Female / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities