"125 • Spermacides : You can buy spermicides over the counter. They work by killing sperm. They come in many forms: • Foam • Gel • C ream • Film • Suppository • Tablet Spermicides are put in the vagina no more than 1 hour before having sex. If you use a film, suppository, or tablet, wait at least 15 minutes before having sex so the spermicide can dissolve. Do not douche or rinse out your vagina for at least 6 to 8 hours after having sex. You will need to use more spermicide each time you have sex. Spermicides work best if used along with a barrier method, such as a condom, diaphragm, or cervical cap. Some spermicides are made just for use with the diaphragm and cervical cap. Check the package to make sure you are buying what you need. All spermicides contain sperm - killing chemicals. Some contain nonoxynol - 9, which may raise your risk of HIV if you use it a lot. It irritates the tissue in the vagina and anus, so it can ca use the HIV virus to enter the body more freely. Some women are sensitive to nonoxynol - 9 and need to use spermicides without it. Medications for vaginal yeast infections may lower the effectiveness of spermicides. Also, spermicides do not protect against s exually transmitted infections. Withdrawal Withdrawal is when a man takes his penis out of a woman's vagina (or \"pulls out\") before he ejaculates, or has an orgasm. This stops the sperm from going to the egg. \"Pulling out\" can be hard for a man to do. It takes a lot of self - control. Even if you use withdrawal, sperm can be released before the man pulls out. When a man's penis first becomes erect, pre - ejaculate fluid may be on the tip of the penis. This fluid has sperm in it. So you could still get pregna nt. Withdrawal does not protect you from STIs or HIV. Dental Dams The dental dam is a square piece of rubber that is used by dentists during oral surgery and other procedures. It is not a method of birth control. But it can be used to help protect people from STIs, including HIV, during oral - vaginal or oral - anal sex. It is placed over the opening to the vagina or the anus before having oral sex. You can buy dental dams at surgical supply stores. Abortion Abortion is the ending of pregnancy by removing a fetus or embryo before it can survive outside the uterus. An abortion that occurs spontaneously is also known as a miscarriage."