Know your
female
condoms
Guide for health
professionals to
inform clients
INTRODUCTION
As a health professional, working
at a health facility or pharmacy,
you inform clients on methods that
can improve their health. Female
condoms are such a method as they
prevent unintended pregnancies and
sexually transmitted infections (STIs),
including HIV. This guide helps you
to improve your service by providing
clients with correct and complete
information on the female condoms
that are available at your facility.
FEMALE CONDOMS
– prevent pregnancies
– prevent sexually transmitted
infections, including HIV
– are non-hormonal
– have no side effects
– make no noise
– come in different types
to meet your preferences
– are approved by your government
Ask your health care provider or
pharmacist about female condoms.
“It feels like
flesh-to-flesh”
“It’s easy to use
with a little practice”
“We do not quarrel
over sex anymore”
THIS GUIDE CONTAINS:
– 7 steps to provide quality
information on female condoms
– Questions and answers (Q&A) on
female condoms
– Tips for countering myths
7 steps to provide
quality information on
female condoms
Questions and answers
(Q&A) on female
condoms
1
WHAT IS A FEMALE CONDOM?
A female condom is a safe protection method
against both unintended pregnancies and
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including
HIV. It is the only dual protection method that can
be initiated by women. It is a thin, soft, loosefitting sheath, worn inside the vagina.
Know the facts on female condoms (see
Q&A below).
2 If there are different female condom types
available at your health facility or pharmacy,
be sure to explain them all equally well.
3 Offer female condoms as a choice, not as the
only option or a must. Provide clients also
with information on other contraceptives, to
enable them to make an informed decision
on what method they think is best for them.
4 Do not judge clients on their age, gender,
occupation or any other personal
characteristic. Provide information on
female condoms to everyone with a need for
protection. Not you, but they decide on their
method of protection.
5 Invite clients to ask questions or discuss
any difficulty regarding the use of female
condoms.
6 Follow up with clients at the next visit on
their experience with the use of female
condoms. Provide answers or guidance as
required.
7 Tip: try a female condom yourself to really
know what you are talking about.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING
FEMALE CONDOMS?
– Dual protection: it protects against both
unintended pregnancies and sexual
transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.
– Unlike male condoms, female condoms
cover parts of the external female genitalia,
providing additional protection against STIs.
– It enables women to take the decision to be
protected during sexual intercourse.
– Female condoms do not contain hormones
(contrary to other contraceptives), and hence
do not interfere with the user’s fertility.
– It can already be inserted before the heat of
the moment, taking up body temperature.
Insertion and use do not depend on the
man’s erection.
– It does not need to be removed immediately
after ejaculation.
– The materials of female condoms, especially
the inner ring or sponge, can increase sexual
pleasure, for both women and men.
– It can be used as a tool for foreplay, by
involving your partner in inserting the female
condom.
– Sexual intercourse with a female condom
can feel like ‘flesh-to-flesh’.
HOW TO INSERT AND USE A FEMALE
CONDOM?
Please see the instructions in or on the package
of the female condom.
General instructions:
1 Wash your hands.
2 Check the expiry date on the package.
3 Open the package carefully with your fingers
(no nails, teeth or scissors).
4 Choose a comfortable position for insertion.
5 Squeeze the bottom ring or sponge and
insert it into the vagina.
6 Push the female condom as far as possible.
If needed, push with your finger inside the
female condom.
7 Keep the outer ring outside.
8 Guide the penis inside the female condom.
9 Afterwards, twist the outer ring to close its
opening.
10 Pull it out gently.
11 Throw it away in a trash bin.
IS IT EASY TO INSERT A FEMALE CONDOM?
Just like with a male condom, it needs some
practice to insert a female condom. Try inserting
a female condom a few times before actually
using it. If you feel any discomfort, try inserting
it again until you do not feel it anymore. What
counts for everything, also counts for female
condoms: ones you know how it is done, it is
very easy.
IS IT SAFE TO USE A FEMALE CONDOM?
Yes. Female condoms available at this health
facility or pharmacy have been extensively
tested on its functionality and safety. The World
Health Organization approved the use of these
products and your government approved their
procurement and availability.
DOES A FEMALE CONDOM MAKE NOISE
DURING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE?
No. Nowadays, female condoms are made
of materials that do not make any noticeable
sound.
CAN A FEMALE CONDOM DISAPPEAR
INSIDE THE BODY?
No. The female condom covers the cervix,
which is a closed space where a female condom
cannot enter.
CAN A FEMALE CONDOM BE REUSED?
No. Just like with the male condom, you can
only use a female condom once. After use, throw
it away in a trash can.
CAN A FEMALE CONDOM BE USED
DURING MENSTRUATION?
Yes.
CAN A FEMALE CONDOM BE USED
DURING PREGNANCY?
Yes. The female condom does not move beyond
the cervix. It will protect both the woman and the
unborn child from any infection.
CAN A FEMALE CONDOM AND A MALE
CONDOM BE USED TOGETHER?
No. Friction caused by the two condoms can
lead to tearing either one or both the condoms.
DOES THE USE OF A FEMALE CONDOM
HAVE SIDE-EFFECTS?
No. Unless you have a latex allergy, in which
case it is recommended to use a female condom
made of nitrile or polyurethane. For example, the
FC2 is safe for use by people with a latex allergy.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
FEMALE CONDOMS?
Yes. There are different female condom types
available at the global market. Read the leaflet
to see which female condoms are available at
your health facility or pharmacy. Each female
condom has different characteristics. We
recommend you to try several available female
condom types to find out which one suits you
and your partner best. If you are not happy with
one female condom, you might like another one.
HOW CAN I CONVINCE MY PARTNER TO USE
A FEMALE CONDOM?
– Know the advantages of female condoms
compared to other contraceptives and
anticipate answers to any questions your
partner may ask.
– Base your negotiation on a common
aspiration, for example the prevention of
unintended pregnancies.
– Find a good conversation starter, such as a
brochure, a poster or an educational talk that
you attended.
– Show your partner a female condom and
outline its advantages.
– Listen to the view of your partner and
counter any fear or misinformation about
female condoms.
– Give priority to dialogue rather than
confrontation. Be gentle and avoid upsetting
issues.
– Stop the discussion in case of blockade
and resume again when you are both better
prepared.
– In case the discussion is blocked, it may
help to involve a third party to facilitate the
dialogue.
This product was made possible with the financial
support of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition
and the UN Commission on Life Saving Commodities.
Myths and how to
parry them
In some communities, myths and
misconceptions about female condoms may
exist. Myths are highly imaginative stories that
provide false and mostly negative information.
These stories may cause a barrier for individuals
to consider the use of female condoms. When
you are consulting a client who believes or might
believe in such a myth, make sure to counter it.
Myths arise due to a lack of information.
Therefore, the best way to counter a myth, is
to provide the client with the facts on female
condoms, their materials and use (see Q&A).
Also explain that female condoms can be trusted
as they have been tested extensively and are
approved by the government.