Today Vaginal Contraceptive Sponge, Physician's Sample
date: label: date made
content: 1983-1985
label: product expiration date
content: 1985-06-01
name: label: maker
content: VLI Corporation
notes: label: Description
content: Pale blue cardboard box with graphic of pink and white flowers. Box is marked: Sample - Not For Sale. There is a pink warning label on top of the box regarding Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) and providing a hotline to contact in case of difficulty removing the sponge. The box contains three sponges individually packaged in white plastic. The box also includes a folded paper insert providing illustrated instructions on how to insert and remove the sponge and other product information.
label: Description
content: Printed on each sponge package: Exp 1 JUN 85; Lot 112883E
label: Description
content: Vorhauer Laboratories Inc. (VLI Corp.) introduced the Today Sponge on the U.S. market in June 1983. The polyurethane sponge, which is inserted in the vagina against the cervix, acts as a barrier method of birth control by blocking and absorbing sperm. The sponge is also impregnated with the spermicide, nonoxynol-9, providing additional protection. It is intended for one-time use and was available over-the-counter unlike the diaphragm, IUD, or birth control pills.
label: Description
content: In December 1983, a report linked the sponge to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) a potentially fatal bacterial infection first connected to tampon use in the early 1980s. Although the link was inconclusive, sales of the product fell. The museum's specimen includes a special warning sticker regarding TSS risk.
label: Description
content: American Home Products bought the company in 1987, but due to production problems the sponge was removed from the market in 1994. After several ownership changes, the Today Sponge went back on the market in 2009.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: California, Costa Mesa
topic: label: Subject
content: Birth Control/Contraception
label: Subject
content: Women's Health
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Gladys Abell Johnson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1988.0655.01
label: catalog number
content: 1988.0655.01
label: accession number
content: 1988.0655
objectType: label: Object Name
content: contraceptive, vaginal sponge, box of
label: Other Terms
content: Box; Contraceptive
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: cardboard (packaging (box) material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (packaging material)
label: Physical Description
content: polyurethane foam (sponge material)
label: Physical Description
content: nonoxynol-9, 1 gr (sponge active ingredients)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (insert material)
label: Physical Description
content: blue (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: pink (overall color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 7.7 cm x 7.7 cm x 7.7 cm; 3 1/16 in x 3 1/16 in x 3 1/16 in
label: Measurements
content: overall, box: 3 1/8 in x 3 in x 3 in; 7.9375 cm x 7.62 cm x 7.62 cm