Common
questions, problems and concerns about the female condom
Is the female condom difficult to use?
The female condom is not difficult to use, but it may take some
practice to get used to it. Supportive and positive counselling
for new users is very useful to encourage women not to 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.
Counsellors need to explain that the female condom requires
practice and patience. Women should be advised to practice putting
it in and removing it prior to using it for the first time 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. Encouragement should be given that insertion becomes easier
with time, and that it may take several tries before the user
becomes comfortable with inserting the female condom. They should
be encouraged to try it at least three times before making any
decisions about continuing to use it or not.
What happens if the penis doesn't enter correctly?
It is important that 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. Diagrams and/or anatomical models
should be used to illustrate this problem at introduction. Women
and men should be instructed that the penis must be guided to
ensure no errors occur. If the penis does enter incorrectly,
the man should withdraw his penis and the couple should start
over 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 of the female condom gets pushed in or pulled
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 the female condom be 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. The current research is examining
the properties of the female condom during re-use and after
repeated washing, drying and relubrication procedures.
Is the inner ring uncomfortable for me or 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 reposition 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 ring adds to
both a man's and a woman's sexual pleasure.
Is the female condom 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. It is also important to note that the female
condom provides added protection because the base of the penis
and the external female genitalia are partly covered during
use. How do I dispose of the female condom?
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. The female condom can be pulled out. It
is important to stress that the female condom should be disposed
of 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.
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 inadequate
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 5 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 minimised?
Where the female condom has been approved, it is recommended
as both a contraceptive and a method to prevent STI and HIV
transmission. It is, therefore, understandable that women
may regard the female condom 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. One counselling strategy that recognises
both the contraceptive and disease prevention capabilities
of the female condom, as well as the "novelty" of
a new method, is to define a period where overlap in contraceptive
methods can be encouraged. This type of "trial period"
will provide a few months for users to become comfortable
with the new method and avoid unintended pregnancy during
any switch over period between contraceptive methods. Following
this period, the woman can choose to continue with the female
condom as her main contraceptive method, to return to her
previous method, or to integrate (where appropriate) the female
condom into her contraceptive/disease prevention mix.
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 have had a hysterectomy
- People who are allergic or sensitive to latex
- People who are allergic to nonoxynol?9 spermicide
- People who are HIV+ or have HIV+ partners
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