CondomsMale condom What is it? It's a thin latex or plastic sheath placed over a man's erect penis during sex to trap sperm at the point of ejaculation. It must be put on the penis as soon as it becomes erect and before any contact takes place with the vagina. Men should withdraw as soon as they have ejaculated and take care not to spill any semen.
Condoms must be used with care as they can slip off or split. They should never be used with oilbased products such as petroleum jelly or suntan oil as these will damage the rubber.
Advantages:
- easily available
- offers protection against sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS
Considerations:
How effective?
- 94%-98% depending on correct use
Only use condoms that have been manufactured to ISO or WHO standards.
Don't forget: only condoms protect against sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS.
In 2008 MSI distributed more than 142 million condoms, including:
- 83 million in India
- 18 million in Uganda
- 8 million in Pakistan
- 6 million in Malawi
- 3 million in Mongolia, which equates to 70% of all the condoms provided in Mongolia.
Female condom (Femidom) What Is It? It's a thin polyurethane sheath placed inside the vagina (also covering the cervix and the area outside) to stop sperm from entering. It can be put in at any time before sex and is actually stronger than the male condom.
You need to be sure that the penis enters the condom and is not inserted between the condom and the vaginal wall.
Advantages:
- offers protection against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.
Considerations:
How effective?