Facts about the female condom
he female condom -a relatively new barrier method designed not only as a method of contraception, but a shield against Sexually-Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDs, is available in pharmacies and health clinics islandwide. But, apart from increasing women’s ability to negotiate safer, the female condom empowers women to take full control of their reproductive health.
At a glance, the size of the female condom can be a bit intimidating but increasingly more persons are getting past that and are willing to give it try. This week All Woman explores its use with some interesting tips on the issue.
Is the female condom difficult to use?
It is not but it may take some practice to get used to it. New users should not abandon the female condom until they have tried it several times. Research has indicated that the female condom may need to be tried at least three times before users become confident about inserting the device.
Women are advised to practise putting it in and removing it before using it for the first during sexual intercourse. They should try to place the device several times, and each time with the body in a different position (e.g. lying down, crouching, sitting) to find the most comfortable one. Insertion becomes easier with time.
Is it too big?
There may be an initial negative reaction to the female condom because of its size, but this feeling diminishes with use. To avoid this misperception of size, it is useful to compare the female condom to an unrolled male condom to highlight that the female condom is the same length but wider than the male condom. Note too that the female condom provides added protection because the base of the penis and the external female genitalia are partly covered during use.
Some strategies that have been used to reduce the possible negative reaction of the woman’s sexual partner include introducing the female condom rolled up, to minimize its size, and inserting it before the initiation of sexual activity.
How to use a female condom?
Practice putting it in and removing it before using it for the first time during sexual intercourse. It may take several tries before you are comfortable with inserting the female condom.
1. Open the package carefully; tear at the notch on the top right of the package. Do not use scissors or a knife to open.
2. Choose a position that is comfortable for insertion – squat, raise one leg, sit or lie down.
3. Look at the condom and make sure it is lubricated.
4. While holding the sheath at the closed end, grasp the flexible inner ring and squeeze it with the thumb and second or middle finger so it becomes long and narrow.
5. With the other hand, separate the outer lips of the vagina.
6. Gently insert the inner ring into the vagina. Feel the inner ring go up and move into place.
7. Place the index finger on the inside of the condom, and push the inner ring up as far as it will go. Be sure the sheath is not twisted. The outer ring should remain on the outside of the vagina.
8. The female condom is now in place and ready for use with your partner.
9. When you are ready, gently guide your partner’s penis into the sheath’s opening with your hand to make sure that it enters properly – be sure that the penis is not entering on the side, between the sheath and the vaginal wall. Use enough lubricant so that the condom stays in place during sex. If the condom is pulled out or pushed in, there is not enough lubricant – add more to either the inside of the condom or the outside of the penis.
10. To remove the condom, twist the outer ring and gently pull the condom out. Try to do this before standing up.
11. Wrap the condom in the package or in tissue, and throw it in the garbage. Do not put it into the toilet.
The female condom may be unfamiliar at first. It is lubricated and may be slippery to insert. You will become more and more comfortable with it each time you use it, and so will your partner.
What happens if the penis doesn’t enter correctly?
The penis is guided into the centre of the female condom and not between the vaginal wall and the outer side of the female condom. If the penis does enter incorrectly, the man should withdraw his penis and the couple should start again using the same female condom with additional lubrication, if necessary.
What kind of lubricant should be used with the female condom?
The female condom comes pre-lubricated with a silicone-based, non-spermicidal lubricant. This lubrication is necessary to assist in the insertion of the device and to allow easy movement during intercourse. The lubricant may make the female condom a little slippery at first.
If the outer ring gets pushed in or the condom pulls out of the vagina, more lubricant may be needed. Also, if the female condom makes noise during sex, simply add more lubricant.
The female condom can be used with both water-based and oil-based lubricants, whereas male latex condoms can only be used with water-based lubricants.
Can it used more than once?
At present the female condom is intended for a single use only. However, researchers are currently exploring the safety of re-use of the female condom. It is anticipated that by mid-2000, the results of the ongoing research will provide adequate information and data to recommend clear guidelines on its re-use.
How comfortableis it for me and my partner?
Some women do report that the inner ring is uncomfortable. If it is, you can try to place the female condom differently (i.e. reinsert or re-position the device) so that the inner ring is tucked back behind the cervix and out of way. On the other hand, some people report that the inner adds to both a man’s and a woman’s sexual pleasure.
How do I dispose of it?
The female condom does not need to be removed immediately after a man’s ejaculation, like the male condom. But it should be taken out before the woman stands up to avoid the semen spilling out.
The outer ring should be twisted to seal the condom so that no semen comes out.
Dispose in waste containers and not, for example, in the toilet. Also, since in many countries women dispose of sanitary napkins in a clean and private way, the same procedures can be promoted for the disposal of the female condom.
Can I use the female condom in different sexual positions?
The female condom can be used in any sexual position; however, additional lubricant may be needed. But some women may feel more comfortable learning to use the female condom in the missionary position, and then adding other positions after that. Group counselling sessions are often ideal for women to learn from each other how to use the device while having sex in different positions.
Can we use a female condom and a male condom at the same time?
You should not use both condoms at the same time. Using the condoms simultaneously may cause friction due to indequate lubrication resulting in either or both condoms slipping or tearing, and/or the outer ring of the female condom being pushed inside the vagina.
How long will the female condom last?
The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the female condom for a shelf-life of five years from the date of manufacture. Because of the properties of polyurethane, the female condom is not affected by differences in temperature and humidity, so no special storage conditions are required.
How can the risk of unintended pregnancy be minimized?
Where the female condom has been approved, it is recommended both as a contraceptive and as a method to prevent STI and HIV transmission. It is, therefore, understandable that women may regard it as a contraceptive alternative. If a woman stops using her previous method of contraception when she first tries the female condom, there is a risk that, should she soon reject the female condom, she may not be covered for pregnancy prevention. Consider the possibility of using emergency contraception as a back-up for the prevention of conception in the case of non-use or failure of the female condom (for example if the condom is removed before ejaculation) during any specific act of sexual intercourse.
Who can use the female condom?
People who want to protect themselves and their partners, and show their partners that they care.
People who are concerned about unintended pregnancy and STIs, including HIV/AIDS.
People whose partners cannot or will not use the male latex condom.
Women who are menstruating.
Women who have recently given birth.
Women who are peri-and post-menopausal.
People who are allergic or sensitive to latex.
People who are allergic to nonoxynol-9 spermicide.
People who are HIV+ or have HIV+partners.
