Instead Softdisc 14 counts

Can Softcup be "used as a reservoir to keep sperm close to the cervix?"

Although commonly used for period protection, trying-to-conceive (TTC) couples appear to have discovered a new use for the Instead Softcup – as a fertility aid!

Softcup fertility success stories are so commonplace now that Instead has filed for FDA clearance to officially market the Softcups as a conception aid.

Softcups are "body friendly and body safe." They have been tested for biocompatibility and are hypoallergenic. In the more than ten years that the product has been on the market, there have been no reported incidences of Toxic Shock Syndrome. Instead was originally designed as an innovative "no strings" and "no wings" alternative to traditional forms of feminine protection.

According to Instead, the makers of the Softcup, trying-to-conceive (TTC) couples were "seeking a simple and affordable option before going to more extreme treatments. [These couples] discovered that the Softcup could be inserted immediately after intercourse to promote conception – and they had amazing success stories to prove it."

As a fertility aid, the rationale behind the Softcup is simple: Following lovemaking, the Softcup is used as a reservoir to hold semen and sperm close to the cervix. The cervix is the channel that sperm must pass through to reach the uterus and fertilize the egg. Thus, the Softcup may work as a fertility aid by helping pool sperm around the cervix.

Instructions for Using the Softcup

Using the Instead Softcup, like anything, requires just a bit of getting used to. That means it might be a bit awkward at first and take a moment or two of practice to insert the Softcup properly and comfortably. Below are some basic learning tips - and please see our diagram to the right. A complete instructional guide comes with each Softcup order.

• Unlike tampons, when inserting the Softcup, PUSH BACK - and not up - for correct Softcup placement.
• To insert the Softcup, ensure that the hands are clean. Squeeze the Softcup by compressing the opposite sides of the rim together.
• Keeping the rims pinched together, insert into the vagina as far back as it will go and place under the cervix and behind the pubic bone. Complete instructions provide detailed step by step help.
• When removing the Softcup, use your middle finger to gently hook under the Softcup rim. When you are ready to remove the Softcup, avoid pulling the cup straight down. Instead, keep the cup level to the floor to avoid spilling any contents.

**For use as feminine protection instead of a tampon, the Instead Softcup can often be worn twice as long as a tampon.

**The Softcups cannot be re-used and should not be worn for more than 12 hours