Female Condom Use

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is a female condom? A female condom is a soft, loosely fit plastic pouch that prevents pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD). It lines your vagina completely to prevent contact between the penis and the vagina. It has a flexible outer ring attached to one end and an inner ring lying inside the closed end. The attached outer ring at the end of the condom is located outside your vagina. The inner ring allows the condom to be inserted into your vagina and kept in place. The condom can be placed inside your vagina up to eight hours before sexual contact.

Why do I need to use the condom? The female condom helps prevent semen (sperm) from reaching your vagina. It is not irritating and messy, which may make it as a good substitute to other barrier methods of contraception. The condom also helps prevent the spread of STD, such as HIV infection. Ask your caregiver for information about diseases and infections that are sexually transmitted.

How do I use the condom? The female condom can be inserted any time before sex. It is always placed before the penis touches your vagina or genital area. When removing the condom from the packet, make sure not to damage it. Do the following when you are ready to insert the condom:

• Find a comfortable position in which to insert the condom. You may sit, squat, or stand and have one leg up on a chair.
  
  
• Hold the closed end of the condom and squeeze the inner ring between your thumb and your finger.
  
  
• Use your other hand to separate your labia (folds of skin around the vagina). Put the squeezed ring into your vagina and push it up as far as it can go.
  
  
• Place your index or middle finger, or both, inside the open end until the inner ring is felt. Push the inner ring as far back into your vagina as it can go.
  
  
• Make sure the outer ring is close against the outside area of your vagina.

How do I remove the used condom? To remove the condom, do the following:

• Twist the outer ring to keep the semen inside.
  
  
• Pull the condom out gently before standing up.
  
  
• Wrap up the used condom in a paper towel or tissue and put it into the trash.

What are the risks of using a female condom? The inner ring may cause discomfort during sex. You may have an allergy to the condom. The condom may slip out of you, or break. If you have just had sex where your male partner has ejaculated, and you think there is a chance you may get pregnant, call your caregiver. If you are worried about getting or passing STDs, talk to your caregiver.

What other things should I know about using a female condom?

• Always keep a condom with you at all times, and check your supply often. It is best to store them in a cool, dry place.
  
  
• Always use a new condom for every act of sexual intercourse. Check that the expiration date on the package has not already passed before using a condom.
  
  
• Do not flush your used condom down the toilet. It will not dissolve with water.
  
  
• Never use a female condom when a male condom is used by your partner. The two condoms may stick to one another and slip or move out of place. It would be safer to use a female condom together with other birth control methods. Ask your caregiver for more information about other birth control methods.
  
  
• The condom may move during sex but it will still work if the mans penis stays inside it.
  
  
• A mans penis must be guided as it goes inside your vagina so that it enters the opening of the condom. It may help if you will hold the outer ring in place outside your vagina. This will stop the entire condom from being pushed into your vagina.

Where can I find more information?

• Family Health International
  PO Box 13950
  Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
  Phone: 1-919-544-7040
  Web Address: http://www.fhi.org
  

• Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  1600 Clifton Rd.
  Atlanta, GA 30333
  Phone: 1-800-227-8922
  Phone: 1-800-232-4636
  Web Address: http://www.cdc.gov/std
  

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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