UPDATE 7/3/15: THE CAYA DIAPHRAGM IS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. HERE”S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW to prescribe to obtain it.
It appears as if Janssen Pharmaceuticals has discontinued production of the Ortho All Flex Diaphragm. That’s not great news for women wanting the full range of contraceptive options.
The good news is that diaphragms are still available in the United States through Cooper Surgical. It’s a wide seal diaphragm, which may not be suitable for all women, but will probably fit most. Your doctor will have to get a fitting set for this particular diaphragm, and once your size is determined, order it for you rather than you taking a prescription to the pharmacy.
If you happen to be in Europe, you can get a Caya Diaphragm without a prescription.
I suspect the market for diaphragms was just too small for Jaansen to keep it going. I’ve only fitted one woman for a diaphragm in the past 6 months.
That’s a real shame, because the diaphragm is an important contraceptive option for motivated women who can’t or don’t want to use hormones or IUD’s. When used properly by motivated couples, efficacy can be quite high. I know – I was a long time diaphragm user, and despite being quite fertile, never had an unplanned pregnancy.
Here’s hoping that the Caya manufacturer will step into the US breach and get the diaphragm back into the hands of women who want to use it.
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More about the diaphragm from
- Planned Parenthood
- Bedsider
- Real Diaphragm users tell their stories
I don’t understand this! And I’m sorry that this option is less available (pretty unavailable), because a diaphragm plus contraceptive gel was my primary method of birth control, and it worked. I did not want hormones; was not comfortable with an IUD. I liked being in control each and every time.
I am very upset that one of the only non hormonal birth control is discontinued. I can’t be the only one who doesn’t want to put hormones in my body. Why can’t we get many of the options Europe has?
It’s a real shame that a simple, reversible, non-hormone method of contraception has been discontinued. But, big business is about the board of directors getting their dividends and making money. And, with all the onerous demands coming in from Washington on physician’s time, we are now supposed to stop and place an ORDER with COOPER???? Do you know how SLOW Cooper is getting orders out?? So, they have made ME the distributor so they don’t have to find one. That’s hardly a great trade-off. And, don’t tell me that I can make a profit on a mark-up to the patient. That’s hardly worth the time involved. Once again, the patient suffers.
This is so disappointing! I am getting married this year, and my fiance and I want this plus spermicide to be our primary birth control. I went to a couple different pharmacies before I was told they were discontinued, and everyone looked at me like I had three heads! The effectiveness is almost the same as condoms, so I don’t understand why they’re not more popular. Who wants to be on a daily timer and put extra hormones in their body? No thank you…
Docs need the cooper surgical fitting kit, and the nurse at my doctor’s office was skeptical that they would be pursuing it. They have an account for the ortho flex producer and only that fitting kit. They said they fitted one patient in the last year. My only option is now an IUD. I can’t take birth control pills because of high blood pressure. This is very disappointing!
AFTER 35 years of being on the pill I am ready to lose it! Obama-don’t-care was supposed to cover my birth control but not only did I have to see a specialist which raised my copay $40 more, but they tried to charge me this copay twice, then when I tried to fill my RX???? (why do I need an RX for a diaphragm??) I am told that the diaphragm is no longer made or available anywhere in the USA. Why didn’t my DR know this???? Now I will have to return and pay yet another $60 when ever they can find the time to see me, and get the IUD which is quite painful, scary, & impossible to remove by myself. Perhaps I should just spend the extra $3,000 and have my tubes tied???? Now I can’t even get a nurse to call me back & give me the size of my diaphragm so I can order one from UK (weeks) where it is not only still made but does not require an RX. Apparently USA is actually becoming a 3rd world country, where all the women will Eve-ntually be terminally ill or pregnant and on welfare????
Has anyone found another option? I cannot use hormonal birth control because I get severe headaches. I already tried a copper IUD but my body expelled it. My current diaphragm is almost a year old, HELP!
I”ve heard of Caya from Germany
http://www.tbtam.com/2015/07/the-caya-diaphragm-how-to-prescribe-get-it.html
Are there any doctor’s offices in NYC that will actually order diaphragms through Cooper Surgical? Mine will not be bothered after writing me a prescription for the discontinued Ortho All-flex.
We do.
🙂
I am beside myself on this! Does anyone have any solutions on where/ what to get??
This is INSANE! There are no other natural options ?!? How can this be????
Jennifer – All is not lost. Your doc can fit you for a Milex diaphragm – the doc then orders it for you from Cooper surgical and sees it directly to you.
Best –
Peggy
Peggy- thank you so much for this information!!
I have already been fitted for the Ortho at 65 respectively…do I need to get re-fitted for the Milex? Or does the same size apply?
I sure hope so as I recently moved/am in between OB/GYNs and can’t get in for 2 months ! 🙁
Can a pharmacy order from Cooper??
THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING! I am getting nowhere fast.Can’t believe in this day and age these solution are regressing, not progressing…!
Jennifer –
I cannot give out personal advice on the blog. I can tell you that when I prescribe the milex I fit with it as well and order from Cooper. Size is not the only concern when switching between diaphragm brands and types, I am alos concerned with how well it fits against the vaginal wall and whether it stays in place.
Pharmacies do not order from COoper as far as I know.
Good luck to you.
MMP
I don’t know if you ever found an answer, so I wanted to mention that I just submitted an order through the online pharmacy Better Living Now for a Milex diaphragm…I’m size 70, so I know they have my size…not sure about yours. They are a great option for a pharmacy though, and can take prescriptions. I was also fitted with the Ortho and I plan on just making an appointment with my midwife to have her check if the Milex fits properly once I get it. Hope this helps if you haven’t found anything.
I’ve been looking into Caya diaphragms which look great. More women should know about diaphragms. Never let me down.
I can’t find a pharmacy who is able to order one. They all say their suppliers don’t even carry them. My last resort will be the expensive caya
I can’t even find a doctor in Atlanta that still offers the sizing procedure.
Emory University School of medicine has one of the premier family planning programs in the country, try there.