Abstract：
A recent court ruling has sparked concern about the future of spermicides as a contraceptive option. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta recently upheld a multimillion-dollar award to a woman who claimed that Ortho Pharmaceutical\'s Ortho-Gynol spermicidal jelly caused her daughter\'s birth defects. Ortho was found negligent for failing to warn consumers through product labeling that birth defects could result if the jelly did not prevent conception. Ortho representatives maintain that no labeling is necessary since numerous studies have shown no association between birth anomalies and spermicide use. Although this is the 1st lawsuit over a spermicide-birth defects link, there is concern that an onslaught of litigation is upcoming. In the face of extended litigation, it is feared that the manufacturer will withdraw the product from the market. Family planning practitioners have expressed alarm about this possibility. Since teenagers and young adults, who tend not to visit family planning clinics, are the primary users of spermicides, a higher rate of unintended pregnancy is likely to result should the product be withdrawn.
摘要：
最近的一项法院裁决引发了人们对杀精子剂作为避孕选择的未来的担忧。亚特兰大第11巡回上诉法院最近维持了对一名妇女的数百万美元的赔偿，该妇女声称OrthoPharmaceutical的Ortho-Gynol杀精子果冻导致了女儿的出生缺陷。Ortho因未能通过产品标签警告消费者，如果果冻不能防止受孕，可能会导致出生缺陷而被疏忽。Ortho代表坚持认为不需要标记，因为许多研究表明出生异常与杀精子剂的使用之间没有关联。尽管这是关于杀精子剂与出生缺陷联系的第一次诉讼，人们担心即将到来的诉讼冲击。面对延伸的诉讼，担心制造商会将产品从市场上撤出。计划生育从业人员对这种可能性表示震惊。由于青少年和年轻人，往往不去计划生育诊所，是杀精剂的主要使用者，如果停用该产品，可能会导致更高的意外怀孕率。
