Pregnancy prevention. Use a condom and
spermicide to prevent pregnancy. Make sure to check the condom's expiration
date, and do not use it if past that date.
STD protection. To protect yourself and your
partner from STD infection, use a condom during vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
Even if you are protected against pregnancy by other
birth control methods, condoms are your only
protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). (The only way to
be completely protected against sexually transmitted
diseases, however, is to abstain from sex.)
A rubber barrier (dental dam) can be used for protection during
oral sex.
Proper condom use
Condoms are most effective if you follow these steps.
Use a new condom each time you have sexual
intercourse.
When opening the condom wrapper, be careful not to
poke a hole in the condom with your fingernails, teeth, or other sharp
objects.
Put the condom on as soon as your penis is hard (erect)
and before any sexual contact with your partner.
Before putting it
on, hold the tip of the condom and squeeze out the air to leave room for the
semen after ejaculation.
If you are not circumcised, pull down the
loose skin from the head of the penis (foreskin) before putting on the
condom.
While continuing to hold onto the tip of the condom, unroll
it all the way down to the base of your penis.
If you are also
using the condom as birth control, make sure your partner uses a
spermicide according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
If you want to use a lubricant, never use petroleum
jelly (such as Vaseline), grease, hand lotion, baby oil, or anything with oil
in it (read the label). Oil (or petroleum) can weaken the condom, increasing
the chance that it may break. Instead, use a personal lubricant such as
Astroglide or K-Y Jelly.
After ejaculation, hold onto the condom at
the base of your penis and withdraw from your partner while your penis is still
erect. This will keep semen from spilling out of the condom.
Wash
your hands after handling a used condom.
Buying and storing condoms
Buy latex condoms sold in the United States.
These condoms meet strict safety standards and are less likely to break or
leak.
Condoms are made of latex (rubber), polyurethane, or sheep
intestine. While latex and polyurethane condoms help prevent the spread of
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as HIV, sheep intestine condoms do
not.
Keep the condom wrapped in its original package until you are
ready to use it. Store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Check the
expiration date on the package before using.
Don't keep rubber
(latex) condoms in a glove compartment or other hot places for a long time.
Heat weakens latex and increases the chance that the condom will
break.
Don't use condoms in damaged packages or condoms that show
obvious signs of deterioration, such as brittleness, stickiness, or
discoloration, regardless of their expiration date.
Female condoms
The female condom is a tube of soft plastic (polyurethane) with a
closed end. Each end has a ring or rim. The ring at the closed end is inserted
deep into the vagina over the cervix, like a diaphragm, to hold the tube in
place. The ring at the open end remains outside the opening of the vagina. The
female condom can be inserted up to 8 hours before sexual intercourse. It is
not used with spermicide. It should not be used at the same time as a male
condom.
The female condom should be removed immediately after intercourse,
while the woman is still lying down. The outside ring is twisted to close off
the condom and hold the semen inside before the condom is removed. A new condom
should be used with each act of sexual intercourse. Female condoms are sold in
drugstores or family planning clinics.
The female condom provides some protection of the genital area
around the opening to the vagina during intercourse and may reduce the risk of
getting or transmitting diseases such as genital herpes or genital warts.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. For more information, click here.
