My boyfriend and I have recently decided that we will use condoms and spermicide for contraceptive purposes. We have begun experimenting with various brands/types of condoms, which has caused concern. Can you explain the various types of condoms, and/or the advantages/disadvantages of each, i.e., effectiveness, etc. Lambskin vs. latex vs. polyurethane??? We are monogamous and primarily concerne...

My boyfriend and I have recently decided that we will use condoms and spermicide for contraceptive purposes. We have begun experimenting with various brands/types of condoms, which has caused concern. Can you explain the various types of condoms, and/or the advantages/disadvantages of each, i.e., effectiveness, etc. Lambskin vs. latex vs. polyurethane??? We are monogamous and primarily concerne...

My boyfriend and I have recently decided that we will use condoms and spermicide for contraceptive purposes. We have begun experimenting with various brands/types of condoms, which has caused concern. Can you explain the various types of condoms, and/or the advantages/disadvantages of each, i.e., effectiveness, etc. Lambskin vs. latex vs. polyurethane??? We are monogamous and primarily concerne...

There are lots of condom brands, sizes, and pleasure-inducing gimmicks out there ? but it's not always easy to find which one will work best for you. When beginning to explore sexual intimacy, roadblocks like yours may arise, but the fact that you're dedicated to practicing safe sex despite this challenge is commendable. Just remember, even though it may take time and some trial and error to fi...

Sounds like you?ve had an exciting summer! Kudos to you for thinking ahead about how to practice safer sex. Condoms, when used correctly, are an effective method for protecting against sexually transmitted infections (STI) and pregnancy, which is why they?re highly recommended. There?s often pressure to make your first time memorable, and it may feel like using condoms takes away from that. Ins...

The short and sweet answer to your question is that what you've heard is true! A condom stored in a wallet may be damaged by lots of action (even when the person carrying it isn't getting any). The constant bending and friction caused by sitting and moving, as well as long exposure to your body heat, can cause a condom to deteriorate. Extreme heat or freezing cold [2] can make the condom brittl...

If you go to a store in-person for your stash, one strategy you may use is to pick out your other essentials first so condoms aren't the sole focus of attention while browsing the shelves or when you?re at the checkout counter. Need to pick up some more toothpaste? Tampons? Shampoo? Just add them to your shopping list along with your prophylactics. If you'd rather avoid face time altogether, yo...

BACKGROUND Several HIV prevention programs use data on condom sales and survey-based data on condom prevalence to monitor progress. However, such indicators are not always consistent. This paper aims to explain these inconsistencies and to assess whether the number of sex acts and the number of condoms used can be estimated from survey data. This would be useful for program managers, as it woul...

BACKGROUND There remain high rates of unintended pregnancy around the world. Adding an effective contraceptive to those who currently only use male condoms may reduce these rates. The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence of and factors associated with the combination use of an effective contraception with male condoms in sexually active women who are already using male condoms. MET...

Despite a global epidemic of sexually transmissible infections and the availability and endorsement of condoms as an effective intervention, the overall use of condoms remains low. This review explores various challenges and opportunities to fully realizing the prevention potential for condoms.