Male condom
The male condom is a thin rubber or plastic sheath that covers the penis. It only needs to be used during sex.
How good is the male condom at preventing pregnancy?
- The condom works reasonably well at preventing a pregnancy but its effectiveness largely depends on whether it is used properly every time the person using it has sex.
- If 100 women used condoms properly with their partners every time they had sex and carried on with their normal sex life, then 1-2 of those women would fall pregnant.
- If not used properly then a much larger number of women would fall pregnant.
What are other good things about the male condom?
- It can be used straight after an abortion. You only need to use condoms when you have sex.
- They help to protect against most sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, when used for any type of sexual activity.
- Male condoms come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
What else should you know?
- Male condoms can sometimes slip off or split, which is why they are not always as good as some other forms of contraceptive.
- If the condom breaks or tears or falls off during sex, then you may need to go to a pharmacy or doctor to use an alternative emergency contraception immediately afterwards.
- Some people are sensitive to certain types of condoms made of latex, though this is rare. In general condoms do not cause irritation to either the vagina or womb.