What is a female condom and how to use it

What are female condoms called? They may go by names such as internal condoms, femidomes (similar to condoms) or the popular brand name FC2.

The female condom is one of the alternative methods of contraception. Like the male, it fulfills a barrier function, but instead of being put on the penis, the female condom is in the woman.

Let’s see how it works, what a female condom is used for and how good it is.

So what does a female condom look like? This contraceptive is a transparent elastic bag with two rings at both ends. One ring is inserted deep into the vagina, and the second remains outside, partially covering the vulva. Thus, a tunnel is formed in the woman’s vagina. These condoms are usually made of latex or polyurethane and are about 8 cm long, they cover the walls and prevent contact between sperm and the vagina, thus protecting against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

A video on female condoms will help you better understand the issue.

The reason why a female condom is needed, in principle, is clear – like a male one, it is used to protect against STDs and unwanted pregnancy. If for some reason you are not sure if your partner will use a male condom, or if you just want to be in control, you can take care of yourself and use this remedy.

Female condoms are not an invention of recent years, they first went on sale in 1993 in the United States, but they did not gain popularity. And they invented this method of contraception even earlier, in the 1980s, to protect women in developing countries. The UN even distributed free female condoms to Third World countries, but the use of these funds never became widespread. The fact is that the first varieties (FC1), made of polyurethane, were extremely uncomfortable and even produced unpleasant sounds during sex.

In 2009, a new version appeared, FC2, for the manufacture of which synthetic rubber – nitrile was used. Also, silicone female condoms have appeared on the shelves over time, reviews about them are much more favorable than about polyurethane varieties.

Probably, the advantages of femidom are obvious: a woman herself chooses the type of contraception, she does not need to make sure whether her partner has put on a condom or not, her protection is only in her hands . One of the advantages is that lovers do not have to interrupt the caresses before putting on a female condom – a woman can insert it beforehand.

Unfortunately, sex with a female condom has many disadvantages.

Before calling pharmacies and finding out where to buy a female condom, it is worth finding out about its effectiveness. And there, it turns out that even with ideal use, the effectiveness of femidoms is lower than that of conventional condoms, and is only 95%. “And if you deviate a bit from the ideal, the effectiveness will be around 79%,” said Dr Jessica Botfield, senior researcher at the New South Wales Family Planning Unit. However, she notes that it is important to increase the availability of female condoms: it is the only way for many women to reduce not only the risk of unwanted pregnancy, but also the risk of contracting STDs.

Also, according to research, female condoms may be as effective as male condoms in preventing HIV alone. And for better protection against infections, it is better to combine regular and femidom condoms, and the female varieties themselves are less effective than the male ones.

In the photo, the female condom may look intimidating, but you can handle it, you just need to practice a little. Fortunately, manufacturers recommend inserting female condoms into your vagina ahead of time, so there’s no risk of your partner falling asleep while you’re exercising.

Using a female condom is not difficult: inserting a femidom is similar to inserting a tampon. According to the manufacturers, the condom is almost not felt inside.

First, study the instructions for the female condom and make sure no one is interfering with your practice. The first time will be difficult, but in the future you can manage effortlessly with female condoms.

So how do you use a female condom? To put it on, the woman adopts a comfortable position: sitting with her legs apart or squatting. Then she rips the package, straightens the femidom and inserts it inside, pushing it all the way in with her finger. A properly worn female condom lines the inside of the vagina. The outer ring remains outside, partially covering the vulva.

Removing a female condom is also quite simple (easier than putting it on): a woman simply squeezes the free end of the femidom, twisting the outer ring like an inflated balloon, and pulls it out. The sperm stays in the female condom.

Only you can determine which birth control method is best for you – perhaps through trial and error.

Photo: Shutterstock