The Condom Mistake You’re Probably Making

by Esther Craine

Plenty of couples play it protected by doubling up on contraception throughout intercourse, like utilizing condoms plus an excellent-dependable technique just like the Capsule or the ring. Typically, this occurs whenever you already take hormonal contraception however you aren’t snug going condom-free with a man simply but. It is sensible, and it’s a sensible selection. However keep in mind, this solely helps for those who’re utilizing each strategies the proper means.

In line with a brand new research within the journal Contraception, 12 % of individuals used a condom together with one other technique of contraception the final time that they had intercourse. However amongst those that used each, solely fifty nine % of them truly had the condom on throughout the whole intercourse session, which just about defeats the aim and places you in danger for STDs and unintended being pregnant.

Up till now, little or no knowledge exists on what researchers dubbed “twin use” couples, that are sexual companions who use each a condom and one other extremely efficient contraception technique. So researchers enrolled over 800 members to see who selected this double technique and what else their habits may reveal. The pattern was virtually evenly cut up between women and men, and all individuals have been inside the ages of 18-forty four. The individuals have been surveyed concerning the strategies they used, if condoms have been one in every of them, and in that case, when the condom was placed on and brought off.

Get this: Solely 50 % of twin customers reported utilizing a condom in all the earlier occasions that they had intercourse with their companion. And once they did use a condom, forty one % didn’t put on it appropriately. A whopping 35 % put it on after intercourse had began, and 6 % took it off mid-intercourse.

And as each lady who remembers highschool intercourse ed is aware of, having intercourse even for a couple of condom-free, pores and skin-on-pores and skin moments probably exposes you to STDs. It additionally places you liable to a companion who doesn’t pull out in time.

Clearly the takeaway is that there’s actually no level in doubling up with a condom in case you aren’t going to make use of it appropriately. That stated, not each couple wants to make use of two strategies. Should you’re monogamous and have each been lately examined for STDs, you’ll be able to doubtless skip the backup.

For different ladies, two strategies could also be a sensible selection. “Ladies on the Capsule or different hormonal contraception ought to all the time be utilizing condoms with new companions, with companions who they assume might have cheated on them, and with companions who haven’t but been examined since they began having intercourse,” says research coauthor Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., sexual well being educator on the Kinsey Institute. And in case you’re actually critical about being pregnant safety however don’t all the time take the Capsule completely, doubling up with condoms can improve your safety, says Herbenick. That’s as a result of the Capsule has a 9 % failure fee with typical use (like in case you occur to overlook a couple of drugs most months).

Positive, it sounds loopy-cautious, however relating to STDs and unintended being pregnant, excessive warning seems like a superb factor. Plus, you’ll have the ability to take pleasure in your self far more if you aren’t frightened about whether or not or not your contraception goes to tug by means of for you. So when you’re utilizing condoms—even with a second technique on deck—be sure to’re utilizing them correctly. For a crash course on condoms and different contraceptive strategies, take a look at our contraception middle.