Illinois action blog

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Female Condoms: Giving Women and Men the Power to Take Control of their own Health

Planned Parenthood of Illinois is joining the National Female Condom Coalition and others to raise awareness about the female condom and  help prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.  The first ever Global Female Condom Day is being celebrated on September 12th.  In preparation for the exciting events that will be happening in communities around the world, we'd like to discuss some of the attributes of this contraceptive tool.

We know that all women's bodies are different; as such, different methods for preventing STDs and pregnancy work better for different people (in fact, you can find out which method of birth control is right for you using our interactive webpage).   We think that, if given accurate information about female condoms, many more women may decide that it's the correct form of contraception for them.

Female condoms are essentially a pouch slipped inside the vagina or anus prior to intercourse.  Just like male condoms, FCs are shaped like an open-ended tube. The main difference is that female condoms have two rings, instead of just one.  There’s a removable inner ring and an attached outer ring.  When used correctly, the female condom is effective in preventing pregnancy 95% of the time, and it dramatically decreases the risk of STDs for both partners.

Furthermore, female condoms offer some comparative benefits to other forms of contraceptives.  Female condoms are unique because they are the only barrier method that can be initiated by the receptive partner, which helps women and men take control of their own health.   They also act as a safe alternative for those with latex allergies, can be used with oil-based or water-based lubricants, and they do not require an erection for placement.  In fact, the female condom can be put in place well before sexual activity begins (although we don't recommend attempting to use the bathroom while wearing it!).

In addition to being sold at drugstores and supermarkets, female condoms are available at many Planned Parenthood health centers.  To find a center near you, use our health center finder.  For more specific information on female condom use or advantages, please visit our female condom factsheet.  Finally, check back with us on a later date to find out what kind of local activities PPIA is planning for Global Condom Awareness Day!

Do you recommend the use of female condoms?  Tell us what you like about them in the comments  below.

This post was created by Planned Parenthood Illinois Action.

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Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Female Condom, Women, STDs, Pregnancy

2 Comments:

Anonymous Sunny Megatron said...

I blogged and vlogged about female condoms to spread awareness of Global Female Condom Day. http://sunnymegatron.com/2012/09/04/sex/5-reasons-why-female-condoms-rock-my-world/

I'll also direct people to your fact sheet.

Female condoms are superior in so many ways but we're so darn scared and confused by them, no one gives them a chance. And the fact of the matter is, the more choices we have, the more likely we'll find what satisfies us and the more likely we will be to stay safe :)

September 4, 2012 at 2:05 PM  
Blogger Planned Parenthood said...

Thanks for helping to spread the word, Sunny! Your blog post is very helpful. We agree that the more choices we have, the more likely we find a protection method that works best for us. Stay tuned for more updates about female condom day!

September 4, 2012 at 2:32 PM  

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