Condoms Are Effective
Barriers to HIV/STDs.
Latex condoms block passage of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and HIV in laboratory
studies, but natural membrane condoms (made from lamb cecum)
do not.
Abstinence is the only 100% sure way to not
become infected with a Sexually Transmitted Disease.
According to the Carey Study, condoms reduce HIV exposure
by at least 10,000 times. Condoms have been proven to be
effective barriers not only to HIV, but also to herpes,
hepatitis B, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Results are based on
“exaggerated use” standards to test for effectiveness in
most extreme circumstances.
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
Studies of sero-diverse couples (couples in which one
partner is HIV-positive and the other is not) showed condoms
are highly effective in reducing risk for HIV and other
STDs. One study followed, 550 sero-diverse couples. Among
the 294 reporting consistent condom use, only 1% experienced
infection. The study did not assess if condoms were used
correctly, only whether they were used every time the
couples had sex.
De
Vincenzi, et. Al.
Condom effectiveness declines due to the “human
factor.” Because condom education is lacking, people do not
know how to use them well. Condom failure is more often due
to human failure than product failure.
UCSF
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies
The term “condom failure” is not very specific. It is
usually used to refer to the percentage of women who become
pregnant over the course of a year in which they report
using condoms as their primary method of birth control, even
if a condom was not used every time they had sex.
Research shows only 30% to 60% of men who say they
actually use condoms every time they have sex.
A national survey of heterosexuals found that a
barrier to condom use was distrust. Of those surveyed, 54%
thought that condoms might fail during intercourse.
New
England Journal of Medicine
A study of college students found that failure to use
condoms was due to embarrassment about the purchase,
difficulty discussing condom use with a partner,
insufficient knowledge of HIV/STDs, and the belief that
condoms interfere with sex. These issues can be addressed by
education, frank talk about sexuality and better
distribution of condoms.
Journal
of the American Medical Association
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
concludes that even with repeated sexual contact, 98 to 100%
of sero-diverse couples in a relationship who use latex
condoms correctly and consistently have not infected their
partners.
In similarly reviewed studies the proper use of
condoms in the past have cut rates of HIV infection among
white gay men by 50% between 1988 and 1993. Unfortunately,
from 1999 to today, young gay men have not been taught this
or are not paying attention to these facts. Current
infection rates in the gay community are right back where
they started in the early 80’s.
The National Institute of Health study of condom use
completed in June of 2000, revealed “strong evidence that
condom use reduces sexually transmitted HIV”.
The Federal Institute of Medicine stated that
teaching “abstinence only” in high schools has no evidence
of effectiveness.
Existing studies have found that condom availability
in schools does not increase sexual activity, but does
increase condom use among already sexually active teens.
American
Journal of Public Health
A Sexuality Information and Educational Council of the
United States (SIECUS) study, funded by the federal
government, concluded “using a condom is 10,000 times safer
that not using one”.
For the wearer, condoms provide a mechanical barrier
that should reduce the risk of infections acquired through
penile exposure to infectious cervical, vaginal, vulvar or
rectal secretions or lesions. For the wearer’s partner,
proper use of condoms should prevent semen deposition,
contact with urethral discharge and exposure to lesions on
the head and shaft of the penis. For infectious agents
spread from lesions rather than fluids, condoms may offer
less protection because areas of skin not covered by the
condom may be infectious or vulnerable to infection.
CDC
Laboratory and epidemiologic studies have provided
information about the effectiveness of condoms in preventing
STD. Laboratory tests have shown latex condoms to be
effective mechanical barriers to HIV, herpes simplex virus (HSV),
cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), Chlamydia
trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Latex condoms
block passage of HBV and HIV in laboratory studies, but
natural membrane condoms (made from lamb cecum), which
contain small pores, did not. The experimental conditions
employed in these studies may be more extreme than those
encountered in actual use; however, they suggest that latex
condoms afford greater protection against viral STD
infection than do natural lamb membrane condoms.
CDC
The actual effectiveness of condom use in STD
prevention is more difficult to assess. It is difficult to
determine if a user has been exposed to an infected partner
or weather the condom was correctly used. However, several
cross-sectional and case-control studies have shown that
condom users and/or their partners have a lower frequency of
gonorrhea, ureaplasma infection, pelvic inflammatory disease
(PIV), and cervical cancer than persons who do not use
condoms. Consistent pervious condom use was associated with
seronegativity during the 1- to 3- year follow-up period in
a recent study of HIV antibody negative heterosexual spouses
of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Another recent investigation of prostitutes in Zaire has
also suggested a protective association between a history of
condom use and HIV seronegativity.
CDC
Condoms are not always effective in the prevention of STDs.
Failure of condoms to protect against STD is probably
explained by user failure more often than by product
failure.
CDC
TO AVOID USER FAILURE...
- Use a latex condom with each
act of sexual intercourse.
- Put the latex condom on
before any genital contact occurs.
- Completely unroll the condom
over the shaft of the penis.
- If a condom will not unroll,
it is damaged (usually heat or friction) or it is on
backwards, throw it away and use a new one. Do not attempt
to turn it around and try again because the outside of the
condom has just been exposed to the penis and may contain
body fluid.
- Always use additional water
based lubricant.
- Never use a lubricant that
is oil based, i.e. Vaseline, baby oil, body lotion,
sunscreen, sun tan oil, Crisco, hand cream etc.
- Never use a condom more than
once.
- Change condoms when you
change sex acts.
- Hold onto the base of the
condom upon withdrawal.
OTHER USER BEHAVIORS THAT
MAY CONTRIBUTE TO CONDOM BREAKAGE INCLUDE...
- Inadequate lubrication.
- Use of oil-based
lubrications that weaken latex.
- Inadequate space at the
tip of the condom.
- Improper, inaccurate
user instruction.
- Use of novelty products
rather than real condoms.
- Improper storage of
condoms. (Condoms should not be carried in wallets or
stored in glove compartments of automobiles where they
can be exposed to extreme temperatures and/or friction.
Always check expiration dates prior to use.)
- Be sure that your
fingernails or jewelry do not damage or rip the condom.
- Never use two condoms at
the same time. This is called double bagging and it will
cause friction and may lead to condom breakage.
DO NOT USE SPERMICIDES AND
NON-OXAL 9 PRODUCTS WITH CONDOMS.
Never use spermicides or
non-oxal 9 products for safer sex technique. These two
items are fine for people who don't want to have children.
They are not effective for the technique of safer sex
efforts. THE USE OF THESE PRODUCTS COULD RESULT IN MIRCO
TEARS AND SMALL LESIONS IN THE LINING OF THE VAGINA, THE
LINING OF THE ANUS AND THE SKIN OF THE PENIS. PROVIDING
ADDITIONAL AVENUES TO INFECTIONS.
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