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Condom
Use is the Key
• With
nearly 1 million Americans infected with HIV, most of them through
sexual transmission, and an estimated
15 million cases of other sexually transmitted
diseases (STD's) occurring each year in
the United States, effective strategies for preventing
these diseases are critical. Refraining from having unprotected
sexual intercourse with an infected
partner is the best way to prevent transmission of HIV and other
STD's. Latex condoms are highly effective when used consistently
and correctly.
The (CDC) offers the following recommendation:
"Condoms are effective in preventing HIV and other STD's."
Facts
About Condom Use and STD/HIV Prevention
•
The correct and consistent use of latex condoms during sexual intercourse-
vaginal,
anal, or oral-can greatly reduce a person’
s risk of acquiring or transmitting most
STD's, including HIV infection, gonorrhea,
chlamydia, trichomonas, human papilloma virus
infection (HPV), and hepatitis B.
• Protecting yourself and others against
STD's is important because many of these diseases
have serious complications. Protecting yourself and others against
HIV is important because it is life
threatening and has no cure.
• Laboratory studies show that latex
condoms are effective barriers to HIV and other STD's
In addition, several studies provide compelling evidence that latex
condoms
are highly effective in protecting against
HIV infection when used for every act of intercourse.
This protection is most evident from studies of couples in which
one member is infected with HIV and
the other is not, i.e., "discordant couples."
• Several studies clearly show that
condom breakage rates in this country are less than 2%.
Most of the breakage and slippage likely is due to incorrect use
rather than poor condom quality. Using
oil-based lubricants can weaken latex, causing the condom to break.
In addition, condoms can be weakened by exposure to heat or sunlight
or by age, or they can be torn by
teeth or fingernails. Studies also indicate that condoms
slip off the penis in about 1-5% of acts
of vaginal intercourse and slip down (but not off) about
3-13% of the time.
• Some persons have expressed concern
about studies that report higher failure rates among
couples using condoms for pregnancy prevention. Analysis of these
studies indicates that the large range
of efficacy rates is related to incorrect or inconsistent
use. In fact, latex condoms are highly
effective for pregnancy prevention, but only
when they are used properly. Research indicates
that only 30-60% of men who claim
to use condoms for contraception actually
use them for every act of intercourse.
Further, even people who use condoms every
time may not use them correctly from
start to finish. Incorrect use contributes
to the possibility that the condom could leak
at the base or break.
What
to do if the condom breaks?
Condom
breaks do occur, and when they do it can cause a lot of anxiety.
What
should you do if the condom breaks? Follow
these recommendations:
• Remain calm...take a breath and
relax. That will make it easier for you to make ration decisions.
• If
the condom breaks while you're having sex and before ejaculation,
immediately stop,
pull out and apply a new condom.
• If ejaculation has occurred, pull out
carefully.
• Shower or wash your genital area thoroughly
with soap and warm water.
• Have a discussion with your partner. Talk
about how careful each of you have been in the
past. Talk about possible HIV risk factors such as a history of
IV drug use, unsafe sex practices,
having sex with prostitutes, etc.
• Even if both you and your partner believe
you have been safe in the past, get tested for
HIV. Repeat that test at 6 weeks, 3 months
and 6 months to allow time for the
body to produce HIV antibodies if infection
has occurred.
• Be alert for possible signs of sexually
transmitted diseases or HIV such as a rash, swollen
glands, fever, flu-like symptoms, pain or discharge from the penis
or vagina.
If you have any of these signs, see your
doctor.
• Important
Point! Never
douche after a condom breaks...this can force infectious microbes
deeper in the vagina and also causes membrane irritation, increasing
the risk
of disease transmission.
• Important
Point! Never
use contraceptive foams such as nonoxynol-9. This can irritate
mucous membranes increasing the risk of
infection.
To
prevent the likelihood of a condom breaking:
• Never wear
two condoms at once. The friction can weaken the condom.
• Never
use oil based lubricants such as vaseline. Again this can weaken
the condom.
• Use lots of water based lubricant to
decrease friction that may weaken the condom. • Make
certain you are using proper sized condoms. There are larger and
smaller sizes available for those
who need them.
• Never reuse a condom.
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