How Does
How Do Female Condoms Work?
What Is a Female Condom?
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A female condom is a safer-sex prophylactic device designed to work in a manner similar to a standard (male) condom. However, whereas a male condom covers a man's penis before penetration, a female condom is designed to line the inside of a woman's vagina, allowing the penis to remain uncovered. During proper use, the open bottom of the female condom rests outside the vagina, partially covering a woman's vulva.
Protection
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Female condoms offer a woman-controlled birth control method that is analogous to male condoms in terms of offering sexually transmitted infection protection (unlike hormonal methods, sponges, spermicides, or diaphragms). Female condoms work by creating a barrier between genitals, trapping bodily fluids on either side and preventing semen from entering a woman's body. This reduces both the chance of pregnancy and the chance of either partner contracting a STI from the other.
Anatomy of a Female Condom
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A female condom resembles a male condom in shape, but it is larger and generally less stretchy. It is also equipped with a flexible ring attached to the closed, inside end which makes it easier to place and position the condom inside the vagina. Female condoms are usually made of non-latex materials, such as polyurethane or nitrite and usually come pre-lubricated.
Advantages
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The advantages of using a female condom include the fact that the device offers an alternative to latex condoms for those with an allergy to the rubber and their easy availability, as they are sold over the counter and do not require a prescription. Female condoms are also preferred by some men who find that the sexual sensation is more pleasurable than that experienced when using a male condom.
Disadvantages
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Some disadvantages to the female condom include their higher cost (when compared to male condoms) and what some users feel is an increased difficulty in use and/or an appearance that is not aesthetically pleasing.
eHow Article: How Do Female Condoms Work?
