"In passing, also, I would like to say that the first time Adam had a chance he laid the blame on a woman." ~ Nancy Astor (British Politician)
7 Most Common Mistakes While Using the Condom
Most condom failures happen because of incorrect usage, rather than defects in the condom itself. The condom breakage or slippage may lead the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. That's why it is important to use condom correctly, avoiding the most common mistakes with condom use:
1. Using the wrong lubricant with the condom
Condoms are compatible with water-based lubricants and most condoms that are sold to the users are already lubricated. If you want to add additional lubrication, make sure you do not use oil-based lubricants, such as baby oils, vaseline, petroleum jelly, massaging oils and other. The thing is that oil-based lubricants can damage the latex material of the condom.
2. Opening the package with sharp objects
When you put on a condom, it is important to open the package correctly. To open a condom package you need to tear it carefully along the edge. Common mistakes that happen while opening the condom package include the use of sharp objects, such as scissors or tearing the package with teeth or fingernails. This can lead to minor cuts that can result in condom breakage. Be aware if your partner has pierced genitals as they can also damage the condom.
3. Leaving air at the tip of the condom
It is important to leave some space at the tip of the condom. You need to squeeze the tip of the condom not to leave air as you put on the condom to the head of the penis. If you do not leave some space at the tip of the condom, there will be not enough room for the ejaculate, which may lead to condom breakage.
4. Using the condom too early or too late
The condom should be put on before penetration, when the penis is already erect. The most common mistakes with the condom use here is putting the condom on after starting sex and removing it before the intercourse is over. If a man puts on a condom after penetration, it is possible that pre-ejaculate contains some fluids that increase the risk of infection or unwanted pregnancy. If a man removes condom before he ejaculates, there is a risk of ejaculation if he does not withdraws in time or pre-ejaculate coming in contact with the partner's genitals.
5. Unrolling the condom incorrectly
Make sure the condom is right side up before unrolling it. If you van put on a condom quite easily, you are using the condom correctly. Also unroll the condom all the way down to the base of the penis. This will prevent the condom from slipping off and will reduce the risk of transmission of STD's.
6. Reusing the condom
Use the condom only once for every sexual intercourse. It is a mistake to use condom twice or more time even if you did not ejaculate in the condom. First of all, it is quite hard to put on an unrolled condom. Also, the used condom is become dried off and are not comfortable to wear and increases the risk of tears. The reused condom can also contain pre-ejaculate, which poses the risk for the partner.
7. Withdrawing the condom incorrectly
Hold onto the rim of the condom and remove penis while it is still erect. If you do not hold onto the condom, you have higher risk of condom slippage or leakage. Make sure not to spill the ejaculate. Throw away the condom, but do not flush the condom down the toilet.
STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING EFFECTIVE CONDOM USE
Effective use of condoms depends heavily on the skill level and experience of the user, a little educationn can minimize problems with condom use . Interventions promoting condom use should address user-related behaviors that result in inconsistent use, incorrect use, or nonuse.
Condoms should be used with every coital act — condoms are most effective when used correctly during every act of anal, vaginal, and oral intercourse. Strategies that emphasize condom use for contraception in addition to disease prevention may help decrease nonuse. Always use a new condom for each act of intercourse . Inexperienced? Practice using condoms.
Practice makes perfect: Many problems that occur during condom use can be attributed to inexperience and can be overcome with practice. Users who have had negative experiences with condoms may be at risk of discontinuing condom use altogether.Use the condom during the entire sexual act — Some men put condoms on after starting intercourse or remove condoms prior to ejaculation. These behaviors could expose partners to risk of pregnancy or STI. Use condoms throughout intercourse, from beginning of genital contact to after ejaculation.
Condoms can break or slip - rarely: Although users often fear that the condom will break or fall off during use, these events are rare. The majority of studies show that condoms break approximately 2% of the time during vaginal intercourse; a similar proportion slip off completely, however, these rates widely vary across some studies (0 to 22 percent for breakage; 0 to 9 percent for slippage). During anal intercourse, rates of breakage and slippage may be slightly higher. If a user complains of repeated breakage or slippage, review proper condom use with him or her.
Have extras available: Because breakage or slippage are possible, have several condoms available in case a condom is torn or put on incorrectly, falls off, or repeated intercourse is desired.
Emergency contraception for back-up: now available over the counter without a prescription, can be used as a back-up method against pregnancy in case a condom breaks or falls off. In addition, immediately gently washing the penis, vulva, anus, and adjacent areas with soap and water may help to reduce the risk of acquiring an STI, although the effectiveness of this practice has not been well-studied. Inserting an applicator full of spermicide into the vagina as soon as possible may also help to prevent pregnancy.
Don't douche, though: Women should not douche. It's never good. The vagina is a self-cleaning organ. Douching just risks that any unwanted bacteria in the vagina get washed up into the uterus and fallopian tubes, risking pelvic infection.
Lubricants are always a good idea, water- based lubricants:
- Water-based lubricants (eg, K-Y, Astroglide, saliva, glycerine, silicone) can be used with latex condoms, but oil-based lubricants reduce latex condom integrity and may facilitate breakage. Common oil-based products that should not come into contact with latex condoms include baby oil, cold creams, edible oils (olive, peanut, corn, sunflower), whipped cream, hand and body lotions, massage oil, petroleum jelly, rubbing alcohol, suntan oil and lotions, and mineral oil.
A World Health Organization Experts Meeting (Geneva, June 2005) developed a
Global Handbook for Family Planning Providers, consensus was reached on five key condom instructions. These include:
1. Use a new condom for each act of intercourse if any risk of pregnancy or STI exists.
- Discuss condom use with your partner before intercourse and have an adequate supply of condoms readily available.
- Extra condoms will be needed if the first is damaged, torn before use, or put on incorrectly.
2. Place condoms on carefully. The condom package should be opened carefully to avoid damaging it with fingernails and teeth, or other sharp objects. Condoms in damaged packages or that show obvious signs of deterioration (brittleness, stickiness, or discoloration) should not be used.
- Before any genital contact, place the condom on the tip of the erect penis with the rolled side out.
- Unrolling the condom a short distance helps to make sure the condom is being unrolled in the right direction. If the condom does not unroll easily, it is probably inside-out and should be discarded because flipping it over and using it could expose the partner to infectious organisms contained in the pre-ejaculate.
- Unroll the condom all the way to the base of the erect penis.
- The condom should cover the penile glans and shaft.
- Adequate, appropriate lubrication is important before intercourse
3. Immediately after ejaculation, hold the rim of the condom and withdraw the penis while it is still erect.
- The condom is held firmly against the base of the penis to prevent slippage and leakage of semen.
4. Throw away the used condom safely.
- Condoms should not be flushed down a toilet.
- After removing the condom, it should be checked for visible damage, and then wrapped in tissue and discarded.
- Condoms should not be reused.
5. A new condom should be used from "beginning to end" with each act of intercourse.
- If the condom breaks or falls off during intercourse but before ejaculation, it should be replaced with a new condom. New condoms should also be used for prolonged intercourse, and for different types of intercourse within a single session (eg, change the condom after anal sex if vaginal sex also is planned). If the condom breaks, falls off, leaks, is damaged, or is not used, then pregnancy and infection are possible.
"You can do one of two things; just shut up, which is something I don't find easy, or learn an awful lot very fast, which is what I tried to do." ~ Jane Fonda
