Safer Sex and Contraception

Safer Sex and Contraception - Female Condom

The female condom is exactly as its sounds. It is made of polyurethane that seems like a male condom, but has no latex, it fits inside the vagina, completely covering the walls of the vagina and cervix as well as some of the vulva (the outer areas of the vagina).

Put in before sex, the female condom protects against infection and pregnancy and like its male counterpart, it can only be used once.

Up to 70% of women and their partners like using it
Because the polyurethane conducts heat, the female condom can be more sensitive than the male condom
For HIV positive women, the added security of the female condom (in protecting their partner from infection) means they can relax and enjoy sex more
It does not hurt to insert (although it can take practice!)
It can be inserted hours before intercourse, so there are no interruptions
It can be used during a woman’s period
It can be used when a male partner can’t or won’t use a male condom