Learn More about the Female Condom!

How much do you actually know about the female condom? Here you can find out the essential answers.

What is the female condom?

The female condom is an equivalent to the male condom and has been produced and developed by The Female Health Company (FHC). Instead of putting it on the penis, you insert it into the vagina. It’s made of nitrile or polyurethane. Check out the picture below and see what it looks like. The condom is much bigger than a usual male condom and there’s a ring round the opening and another one at the closed end. The latter prevents the condom form slipping out of the vagina and the former prevents the condom from getting pushed into the vagina. In addition, it covers part of the vaginal lips, which further reduces the chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. A woman can insert the condom into her vagina quite some time before having sexual intercourse and doesn’t have to wait for a man’s erection. It can also remain in the vagina for a while after an ejaculation. As the female condom isn’t made of latex, it’s less sensitive. No special care is needed for storing it and it isn’t sensitive to oil-based lubricants. The condom is already pre-lubricated, but doesn’t contain a spermicide. You can use more lubricant, if necessary.

Advantages and disadvantages of the female condom

You have to be aware that the female condom is primarily intended for protection against pregnancy and diseases. If you aren’t afraid of either, the condom is useless. The condom provides effective protection. It isn’t much different from the male condom in terms of touch and it doesn’t squeeze the penis, which often happens in the case of the male condom. You should only use the condom once, although some people use it several times, but experts don’t recommend it. WHO has developed a special protocol containing instructions on how to use the female condom several times, but this is still unadvisable. As preparations begin before sexual intercourse, it doesn’t interrupt the sexual act as much as putting on the male condom does. Its main advantage is that it provides effective protection.

Complications

The first unpleasant thing is insertion of the condom into the vagina. The condom is pre-lubricated and thus slippery. It has to be inserted into the vagina so that the condom doesn’t fold. The feeling of a plastic thing hanging out of your vagina probably doesn’t contribute to sexual arousal. It’s advisable that women test insertion and removal of the condom at least three times before the first use. Then, make sure that the penis is inserted correctly. The easiest way is if a woman leads the penis with her hand. When these problems are solved, you may be surprised by a funny noise caused by the condom during friction if there isn’t enough lubricant. In that case, more lubricant has to be put on the penis or in the condom. It’s possible that the condom slips out or gets pushed inside the vagina during sexual intercourse. In both cases, you have to dispose of the condom and use a new one if you want to stay protected. We described a lot of technical problems associated with use of the female condom, but you may have other problems.

Read more about different methods of contraception in the Encyclopedia of Sexuality.