Condoms with nonoxynol-9 (N-9) ? do they increase HIV risk?

Great questions! Here's the scoop on what you heard: according to a four-year study conducted by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) [2], women who used nonoxynol-9 (N-9) gel were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at a higher rate than those who used a placebo gel. Though N-9 isn?t effective at protecting against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it?s moderately effective in spermicides used for pregnancy prevention. Likewise, octoxynol-9 (O-9) is also used in spermicidal products, but there?s little research to clarify its link to HIV risk. If you?d like to dive deeper into the facts, read on!