*Click here for Condoms Charts and Stats
Condom Q & A’s from Published Books
- Aren’t all condoms the same? (click here)
- How do you get a guy to use a condom? (click here)
- Whose responsibility is birth control-the man’s or woman’s? (click here)
Condoms, not 100 percent protection but useful to many.
Condoms are commonly known to many, but for those new to the word here are a few definitions: “A sheath commonly of rubber worn over the penis (as to prevent conception or venereal infection during coitus)”;1 “Male condoms: The male condom is a sheath placed over the erect penis before penetration, preventing pregnancy by blocking the passage of sperm. It is a barrier method of contraception. A condom can be used only once. …”;2 Female condom, “a type of condom used by women and inserted into the vagina.”3
Condoms, which are available for both men and women, have different uses. Those uses include preventing pregnancy, STDs and other disease.
Whether used by women or men, condoms, even if coated in spermicide, are not 100 percent effective. However, if used correctly, it is thought they should be 95 to 98 percent effective, but those percentages go down when used improperly. Also, it should be noted that some people are allergic to latex, which is used in many condoms.
While some men, and women, don’t like the feel of the love glove and think it has a hand in diminishing the pleasure and intimacy in lovemaking (or plain old sex), others like them because they lower the risks of pregnancy and infection, making the user(s) feel less anxious from adverse consequences from their acts.
The sourced articles below provide you with more information on condom use, risks and effectiveness, as well as the less scientific aspects such as how they make others feel when using them.
Footnotes: 1. merriam-webster.com, accessed 4/9/2018; 2. medicinenet.com, accessed 4/9/2018; 3. collinsdictionary.com, accessed 4/9/2018
- This Is What Happens When Someone Wears Two Condoms, So Be Super Careful
“First things first: Why would someone use two condoms at the same time? Are there any benefits? ‘People may think it’s extra protection,’ Amy Levine, sex coach and founder of Ignite Your Pleasure, tells Elite Daily. ‘However it’s actually risky as it can lead to an increased chance of the condom breaking.’ Yikes.”
Korey Lane, elitedaily.com, 2/19/2019
- The Biggest Change to Condoms in 50 Years Is Sticky in a Good Way
“In a study published Tuesday in Royal Society Open Science, the interdisciplinary research team announced that what makes this condom different than the rest is self-lubrication. While most condoms come with an added silicone-based lubricant, this newly designed condom is coated in polymers. The polymers capture moisture from water and bodily fluids, trap them on the condom surface, and cause the condom to become continuously lubricated. That’s important because surveys have shown that some people don’t use condoms because they say they create too much friction. … Self-lubricating condoms will be on the market in about two years.”
Sarah Sloat, inverse.com, 10/19/2018
- The Condom Challenge Isn’t The Latest Teen Craze. Here’s How It Went Viral Anyway.
“The only thing viral about the condom challenge right now is the moral panic about the idea of teens doing the condom challenge.”
Abby Ohlheiser, washingtonpost.com, 4/3/2018
- Female Condom
“Female condoms help protect you from STDs. Use another birth control method with your female condom for even more pregnancy preventing power.”
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, plannedparenthood.org, accessed on 3/1/2018
- Am I Allergic to Condoms? Symptoms and Treatment
“Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms of allergic reaction, alternative products to try, and when to see your doctor.”
Corinne O’Keefe Osborn, Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, PhD, LCSW, CST, healthline.com, 2/26/2018
- Female Condoms
“If women use the female condoms, but not perfectly, it’s 79% effective. This means that if 100 women use the female condom, 21 or more women will become pregnant in a year.”
Online Resource, youngwomenshealth.org, updated 12/26/2017
- What Are Female Condoms And How Are They Used?
“The female condom looks different from the male condom. Female condoms are pouches with a soft, flexible ring on each end.
Used correctly, they are 95-percent effective in preventing pregnancy, compared with male condoms, which are 98-percent percent effective.”Lori Smith BSN MSN CRNP, Reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, medicalnewstoday.com, 12/6/2017
- Condoms With Spermicide: Do They Work?
“When used correctly, regular condoms are 98 percent effective as a form of birth control. However, no current evidence suggests that spermicide condoms are in fact any more effective than regular ones.”
Bethany Cadman, Reviewed by Alan Carter, PharmD, medicalnewstoday.com, 11/6/2017
- Pros & Cons Of Condoms As A Contraceptive
“Understand the pros and cons to condom use as a contraceptive before using condoms.”
Julie Hampton, livestrong.com, 8/14/2017
- The Right Way To Use A Male Condom
“Condom Dos and Don’ts”
Online Resource, cdc.gov, last updated 7/6/2016; (Broken link removed 12/2024)
- Women Don’t Like How Condoms Feel Any More Than Men Do
“I’ve now received hundreds of complaints from women about condoms. Here are fifteen women’s comments are representative of what most women had to say about condoms.”
Paul Joannides, PsyD, psychologytoday.com, 11/25/2015
- Do Condoms Impair Erotic Sensitivity?
“Condoms are no ‘shower in a raincoat,’ but a shower with a ring on one finger.”
Michael Castleman, MA, psychologytoday.com, 5/15/2015