The female condom is a method of prevention that protects both against STIs, including HIV/AIDS and unplanned pregnancies. The high costs of female condoms account for the fact that this method is not yet widely used by women and couples.
WHO and UNAIDS are encouraging the introduction of the female condom as a method of preventing both pregnancy and infection and as an additional tool in efforts to respond to the needs of women and men in sexual and reproductive health. The female condom is also effective part of the solution in prevention of HIV/AIDS/STD in high prevalence areas.
The female condom is widely used in countries that actively promote its use, such as South Africa, Ghana and Zimbabwe. However in other countries it isn't as popular. To become an accepted and available form of contraception, an effort needs to be made worldwide to promote the female condom and make it more available.
In a public-private partnership with the ‘Condomerie’ in Amsterdam, the world’s first specialised condom shop, Youth Incentives supports the promotion campaign for the female condom. We have developed a give-away bag that contains the female condom, a user’s manual and a protocol for reuse. The Condomerie and Youth Incentives advocate the re-use of the female condom, since it reduces the cost of this barrier method enormously and will give women a method to protect themselves without being dependent on the willingness of their bed-partners to use condoms.
Benefits and disadvantages, use for anal sex
Protocol for reuse of the WHO (World Health Organisation)
Study from Family Health International
Sources:
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WHO (2002) The safety and feasibility of female condom reuse: Report of a WHO consultation', Geneva, January 28-29
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Female condom re-use issues explored, Network 2003. Vol 22, No 4
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Re-use of the female condom: Now for the practical realities, Philpott, A., Reproductive Health Matters 2003, 11(22): 185-186
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Family Health International, Network 2000: Vol. 20, No. 2
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Avert, Averting HIV and Aids: www.avert.org
