Female condoms – what are they and how do they work?

When we write about "female" / "for women" condoms, we mean condoms intended for people with a vagina. At the same time, we emphasize that genitals do not determine gender identity, but we use this mental shortcut to make it possible for everyone to access the information we provide.

What is a female condom?

The female condom is a type of mechanicalcontraception that, like its male counterpart, not only protects against unwanted pregnancy, but also against sexually transmitted diseases.

Female condoms are relatively new, having been invented in 1991 by Danish doctor Lasse Hessel.

This contraceptive is used once (for those curious, there are reusable vaginal rings or caps ). In many ways, it is similar to the male version, but putting on a female condom seems more complicated and requires some practice. It is also not as popular and easily available - it can be bought mainly in pharmacies and online stores , while its male counterpart is available in almost every supermarket.

What is a female condom made of?

The first condoms designed for women were made of polyurethane, a type of plastic. These were the so-called FC1 generation ( female condom 1 ). In 2005, the second generation (FC2) of condoms made of synthetic nitrile came onto the market. They were soon made of natural latex.

Female condoms available today are coated with lubricant (often containing spermicide), which can be useful for people struggling with vaginal dryness.

And speaking of lubricants – products made with oils can weaken latex (or even dissolve it)! Definitely better (and safer) are gels made with water or aloe.

Female condom application

The female condom is a long, transparent sheath with two flexible rings : an inner (closed-end) and an outer . The condom is placed in the vagina in such a way that the outer ring does not slip inside. In turn, the inner ring must be placed quite deep in the vagina to enclose the cervix.

Putting on a female condom correctly has a huge impact on its effectiveness: to use it correctly, it is worth reading the instructions or watching an instructional video beforehand.

It is important that the outer ring remains outside throughout intercourse , so you should hold it while inserting the penis into the vagina.

During intercourse, there is a risk that the condom will shift or even fall out. It can also happen that the penis slips between the condom and the vaginal wall. For many people, this is problematic and not very comfortable. Constantly checking whether the condom is in place and making sure that the outer ring does not slip inside the vagina can disrupt the intimate atmosphere and cause frustration.

It is worth mentioning that before putting on a condom, you should always check its expiration date (no contraceptive should be used after this date – this is not only about possible irritation of the skin or mucous membranes, but also about its effectiveness!) .

In addition, under no circumstances should a female and male condom be used at the same time – this increases the risk of damaging them. A female condom, on the other hand, can be put on long before planned intercourse (even a few hours).

Who are female condoms for?

Such condoms can be used by any woman and person with a vagina.

Given the many potential drawbacks and difficulties in use, one might wonder what really makes people reach for them. However, female condoms do have a few (perhaps less obvious) advantages:

• First of all – like their male counterparts – they reduce the risk of pregnancy and protect against sexually transmitted diseases .
• They do not cause side effects and there are no health contraindications to their use.
• They are especially useful for people who do not want or cannot use hormonal contraception .
• It's worth trying them out if your partner with a penis has, for example, an allergy to latex that precludes the use of most male condoms (although, of course, you can find ones that don't contain it).

The female condom may also be useful in a situation when the female partner (for various reasons) refuses to use its male equivalent.

Why aren't they as popular as male condoms?

In doing research for this article, I came to the conclusion that the low popularity of female condoms is not for nothing. It seems to me that while they can be very useful in specific cases, most people would probably choose another form of contraception, even if female condoms were readily available and cheap. This is due not only to their price and low availability , but also to their relatively difficult application and the need to make sure they don't move during intercourse.

The fact that the outer ring remains outside the vagina and may need to be held in place can affect sexual satisfaction and orgasm . Worse still, the condom can make some unappealing noises during intercourse, which for many won't be a problem, but for others is reason enough to completely reject this method.

There is a risk that the condom will shift in the vagina, or even slide out completely , which of course affects its effectiveness . If the penis gets between the condom and the vaginal wall, the risk of pregnancy increases , especially if we do not notice it right away.

I imagine that having sex with this type of contraception would make it impossible to relax and I would constantly be wondering if the condom was still in place. I also think that young people, especially those who have not usedtampons or a menstrual cup , might have trouble putting one on properly.

Of course, this doesn't mean that female condoms are completely useless and shouldn't be on the market - as I mentioned, there are situations where they can be the best solution (for example, if someone with a vagina doesn't want to take hormonal contraception, and someone with a penis is allergic to latex or doesn't want to use "male" condoms). However, I have the impression that for most of us they will remain an intriguing curiosity, and we will continue to choose other forms of contraception for regular use.

Female condom , "Mayo Clinic", https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/female-condom/about/pac-20394129 [accessed 09/08/2021].
https://www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/docs/female-condom-use-508.pdf [accessed 16/02/2022]
https://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/what-are-female-condoms [accessed 16/02/2022]