« Poem, Life or Death | Home | What is HIV? »

The Female Condom

August 09, 2006

Im sure you have heard the phrase, Better safe than sorry. Young women face the highest risks of HIV infection. Almost half of the 39 million adults infected with HIV worldwide are women. In this day and time, one must take responsibility for their own sexual and reproductive health.

The following paragraphs are an introduction to the female condom:

What is the female condom? It is a thin, soft, loose fitting polyurethane plastic pouch that lines the vagina. It consists of two flexible rings: an outer ring which remains outside the vagina and an inner ring used to insert the device inside the vagina and hold it in place. The use of polyurethane allows the condom to be used with any type of lubricant including water-based products.It was introduced in 1993 as a dual-protection method capable of preventing both unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. When used consistently and correctly, the female condom is 95% effective.

There are several advantages to using the female condom. It is female-controlled and offers greater protection by covering internal and external genitalia. It is often more convenient and polyurethane is 40% stronger than latex. And for the men who complain about decreased sensation with a latex condom,the female condom is more comfortable. This product is not without disadvantages. A study by Family Health International found that the female condom was not aesthetically pleasing and noise associated with use, size and partner resistance was an issue. What is more important: Safety or Aesthetics? Difficulty in insertion/removal of the condom was noted in the study. Overall, the women in the FHI study liked the device and would recommend it to others.

The female condom has received global support among the health community. Dr Steve Sinding, Director General, International Planned Parenthood Federation states: The female condom works. It is effective in preventing pregnancy and STIs (sexually transmitted infection), including HIV. When offered with goodcounseling and support, female condom availability results in significantly safer sex. . . More choice equals more protection. Its that simple. Increased choice helps empower women. As part of a right-based approach to health care, women should have access to female condoms.

The cost is slightly more expensive than latex condoms. Approximately $3-4 dollars will get you a box of three condoms. The first female condom on the market is a Female Health Company product known as Reality, Femidom, Care contraceptive sheath, and Dominique. Condoms are becoming increasingly more significant in decreasing sexually transmitted infections. Whether male or female condom? It is your choice. Do something proactive to protect your sexual health and wellbeing.

Posted at 12:01 AM by Shantrie in the Safer Sex category/ies.

Trackbacks

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.livetoknow.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/14

Comments

People say i should have sex and i want too but i don't what to have HIV, AIDs OR STD...So i'm not going to have sex for a long time and my age is 14teen.....

Posted on March 12, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Nicole Davis. permalink

Subscribe to the newsletter today!