Contraceptive sponge was created in 1983.
Better than...? It's not very effective.
Condoms, and a Sponge
The Today Sponge is a hormone-free contraceptive alternative. Online sources that provide detailed information include Today Sponge, About Today Sponge and Planned Parenthood.
The sponge is not very effective, but one advantage is that it's available over the counter and under the woman's control.
The contraceptive sponge is a round piece of white plastic foam. It has a dimple on one side and a nylon loop across the top. It is 5 cm across, and you insert it into your vagina before you have intercourse. The sponge works in two ways: it keeps sperm from getting into your uterus by blocking your cervix, and also continuously releases spermicide. The sponge needs to be completely wet to activate the spermicide. Make sure to squeeze it to distribute the water. You can find all the important information about different contraceptive methods at findmymethod.org.
The Sponge was created on 1995-12-07.
The company went bankrupt, and was sold, they've stopped producing them for now, try buyingprivate.com to get them from Canada
Audio Sponge was created on 2002-09-19.
Sponge - TV series - was created in 2003.
The Sponge Who Could Fly was created on 2003-03-21.
The Man - Sponge album - was created on 2005-10-04.
If the brand is "Today" the sponge needs to run under water until thoroughly wet before inserted. Other brands are Protectaid and Pharmatex and come ready to use. The sponge can be inserted up to 24 hours before intercourse, over the cervix (beginning of the uterus). It must be left in place for at least six hours after the last time you have intercourse. It should not be worn for more than 30 hours in a row. Note that contraceptive sponges do not protect against STD's and are only 75 to 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. It is wise to use the sponge accompanied by a condom or the pill.