Diaphragm for STI and HIV Prevention: Is It a Safe Method for Women at High Risk?

In Brief Female sex workers (n = 140) were enrolled in a 6-month acceptability trial of the diaphragm. We randomized a subset (n = 40) to receive colposcopies after 1 month of diaphragm use or after 1 month of observation before commencing diaphragm use. Adverse events were mild in nature. Frequency of colposcopic findings did not differ between women randomized to immediate versus delayed diaphragm use (P = 0.25). A study conducted among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya, which included a small nested, randomized colposcopy substudy, did not detect safety problems with diaphragm use.