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Question 1 of 31

A patient who uses a diaphragm as contraception asks if they need to use a backup method. What should the nurse respond?

Rationale:
The nurse should respond that a diaphragm is effective only when used with spermicide, so a backup method is advised. This is because spermicide enhances the diaphragm’s contraceptive effectiveness by killing sperm, reducing pregnancy risk. Without spermicide, the diaphragm alone offers less reliable protection, making an additional contraceptive method necessary to ensure safety and prevent unintended pregnancy. A: No, the diaphragm is effective on its own and does not require a backup method. This disregards the essential role of spermicide, leading to potential contraceptive failure and increased pregnancy risk if spermicide is omitted. C: Yes, a diaphragm should always be used with a condom for additional protection. While condoms provide STI protection, the diaphragm’s effectiveness primarily depends on spermicide, not condoms, so this advice is unnecessarily restrictive. D: No, but the diaphragm should be replaced every 6 months. Diaphragms typically last one to two years; recommending replacement every 6 months is excessive and unrelated to the need for backup contraception.