| Once a taboo topic of conversation among mixed company, condoms are now promoted in television and magazine ads. Although traditionally purchased by men, women are buying condoms now, too, and encouraging their partners to wear them. Although many people use condoms as a form of contraception, for others, condoms are used to help protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
When used correctly, condoms may protect both partners against gonorrhea, syphilis, and AIDS, according to medical reports. Condoms are less effective for preventing the spread of genital warts and herpes, however,because the viruses responsible for those diseases are small enough to pass through the pores of a condom.
To increase the effectiveness of condoms as protection against pregnancy and STDs, follow these guidelines.
- Use recently purchased condoms only.
- Choose condoms made of latex, not of animal membranes. Latex condoms are more durable than natural condoms and are less likely to break.
- Avoid condoms advertised as "ultrathin." They don't hold up well.
- Don't store condoms in a wallet, since they can be easily damaged
- Don't expose condoms to the sun or store them under hot and humid conditions. Condoms deteriorate when exposed to ultraviolet light, heat, or moisture.
- Apply the condom over an erect penis before sexual contact. It should be rolled down over the shaft of the penis to the base, leaving a space at the tip for semen to collect.
- Hold the condom against the base of the erect penis after ejaculation, until after withdrawal.
- Don't use petroleum or oil-based lubricants such as baby oil, petroleum jelly, or vegetable oil to make penetration easier when wearing a condom. They can cause the condom to weaken and tear. Instead, use a water-soluble lubricant like K-Y Jelly (sold in drugstores).
- If a condom should break, immediately insert a spermicide containing Nonoxynol-9 into the vagina.
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