Condoms
What are condoms?
Condoms are made out of very thin latex or polyurethane and are sometimes called johnnies or rubbers. The female version of the condom is called the Femidom. Condoms work by trapping sperm and stopping it from getting to the female's egg. They also stop any direct contact between the penis and the vagina. This means they are good at protecting you from sexually transmitted infections.
What are the advantages?
- The female condom is about 95% effective while the male condom scores 99%. That means that in a year, 1 woman out of 100 who use the male condom will become pregnant. For the femidom, about 5 out of 100 will become pregnant. However, you should remember that these statistics are based on studies of married couples. Failure rates for condoms can be much higher for young people who are inexperienced in using them.
- You only need to use condoms when you're having sex, unlike other contraceptives.
- Condoms give good protection against STIs like HIV.
- Condoms don't cause any side effects.
- Condoms are very easy to get hold of and no one needs to know you bought them because you can get them from machines in places like public toilets or service stations.
- Contraceptive and Sexual Health and GUM clinics in Fife all give condoms and femidoms for free.
- If you use your imagination, putting on condoms can be an exciting part of foreplay.
What are the disadvantages?
- Condoms can interrupt the flow of sex.
- The male condom can sometimes split or come off during sex.
- With the male condom, the man has to take out his penis straight away, keep the condom on and be careful not to spill any semen.
- With the female condom it is important to make sure that the penis goes into the condom and not straight into the vagina. Also, the open end of the female condom must stay outside the vagina during sex.
- The female condom is quite expensive (although you can get it free at Contraception and Sexual Health clinics and GUM clinics).
Where can I get hold of condoms?
You can buy the male and female condom in any chemist and there's no need to feel embarassed, the person behind the counter will have sold many before. You can also buy the male condom in supermarkets, pub toilets and service stations. GUM, Contraception and Sexual Health clinics in Fife all give out condoms for free.