Is he diaphragm-worthy? It may not even matter.

Diaphragms may not be as notorious as the contraceptive sponges immortalized on Seinfeld by Elaine. (“"So, you think you're sponge-worthy?")

But for many, these messy little devices are simply infections-waiting-to-happen. For others, they're just a hassle. And now a new study has found that the use of this less-than convenient method of birth control--diaphragms and lubricant gel-- in addition to condoms provides no additional protective benefit against HIV infection.

So, it looks like the best course of HIV-preventing action is to stick with condoms. (Personally, I’m going to get to work writing Just Say No: The Beginner’s Guide to Celibacy.)

Anyhow, the director of the University of California-San Francisco’s Women’s Global Health Imperative was the lead investigator of the clinical trial, which involved sexually active African women in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

For more information, check out the website http://www.thelancet.com/

--Mary Spicuzza