Spermatocide
Any agent that is destructive to spermatozoa (that is, kills sperm).
Nonoxynol-9 is the most commonly encountered spermatocide in the United States. (The nonoxynols, technically speaking, are nonionic surfactant [surface active] mixtures that vary in the number of repeating ethoxy groups.) They are much used as detergents, emulsifiers, wetting and defoaming agents, etc. Nonoxynol-9 has 9 repeating ethoxy groups and is the active component of most vaginal foams and creams.
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- Spermatogenesis
The process of sperm formation. The term was created from the prefix “spermato-” (Greek sperma, the seed or germ) + “genesis” (the coming into being of something) = the coming into being of sperm. Spermatogenesis is in contrast to oogenesis, the process of egg (ovum) formation.
- Spermicide, vaginal
A vaginal spermicide is a substance that will kill sperm in the vagina. Vaginal spermicides are available in foam, cream, jelly, film, suppository, or tablet forms. All types contain a sperm-killing chemical. Studies have not produced definitive data on the efficacy of spermicides used alone (without a diaphragm or cervical cap) but research suggests the […]
- SPF
A number on a scale for rating the degree of protection provided by sunscreens. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. SPF numbers on a package can range from as low as 2 to as high as 100. These numbers refer to the product’s ability to screen or block out the sun’s burning rays. It is […]
- Sphenoid
1. Shaped like a wedge. 2. Relating to the sphenoid bone (which is wedge-shaped).
- Sphenoid bone
A prominent, irregular, wedge-shaped bone at the base of the skull. The sphenoid bone has been called the ‘keystone’ of the cranial floor because it is in contact with all of the other cranial bones.