Women can now have the power of preventing the spread of STDs in their own hands with the female condom.
According to buzzfeed.com, the new Female Condom 2 is easier to use than the older version, has increased pleasure for women and it covers more of the outside skin of the vulva, reducing skin-to-skin STD transmission risk. It has already prevented 23 HIV infections in Washington DC, according to a study in the AIDS and Behavior journal…but would you use it?
The study cites that it is critical that there are HIV prevention interventions entirely under the control of women, and female condoms are the only such woman initiated intervention currently on the open market. Women who were asked about if they would use the newer form of birth control gave more reasons why they would prefer to stick with the traditional condom than use the female condom. The reasons ranged from the indiscreet appearance of the product that could mess up the mood to being less effective against preventing pregnancy than the male condom to just being way too expensive. The female condom is also difficult to find, but Planned Parenthood is taking steps to make the product more accessible for those interested.
Apparently the biggest drawback of the female condom is that most women just don’t know how to use it. Just like any other form of protection, if used wrong it can have no affect against preventing the spread of STDs. Planned Parenthood tries to combat this issue by providing a “how to” guide on their website in addition to a video demonstrating how to properly use the female edition of the condom.
Usually taking prevention into your own hands meant making sure to carry condoms with you or have them in the house in case the guy you are with “forgot” to bring his.
When the pros and cons of the product are weighed, do you think more women should opt for this form of prevention?
I am a Health Educator at a women’s HIV non-profit in Washington, D.C. and we are actually a center of excellence for the FC2. Currently there are free FC2 initiatives in DC, Chicago, New York, Atlanta and a few other cities, also CVS and Walgreens are partners with the initiative and should have the FC2 available in stores. due to the fact that many people are not aware of the benefits of the FC2 a large push is being made to make it accessible so that everyone can benefit from it; you can also look into obtaining them from your local health department.
I highly recommend it to everyone as an alternative form of contraception not just because it is giving women ownership over their protection but because of the benefits it has over male condoms.
1. The outer ring on the FC2 protects the labia as well as the area around the penile shaft giving you extra protection against STIs/STDs which can be transmitted skin-to-skin i.e. herpes, hpv, crabs etc.
2. The FC2 is made out of nitrile polymer NOT latex so for those who have allergies this is a great alternative, also the material conducts heat and once inserted warms up to your body temperature and molds to your vaginal walls giving you as real a feel as possible.
3. The inner ring can also give extra pleasure to the man as the head of the penis can touch the ring and be stimulated, the same goes for the outer ring which provides additional clitoral stimulation.
Overall the FC2 is a great step in the right direction for insertive and women controlled tools.
@LJ:
have you actually tried it?
i prefer first-person experiences not what the packaging says.
not trying to be vulgar or anything.
i think we should all walk around in plastic wrap.
I would use it but I just don’t if a guy is going for it. I have a question: What does it feel like? Is it similar to the male condom? and is it breakable like male condoms? I personally will need more than a little PP video.