Manufactured to prevent the passage of sperm and contact between the sexual fluids of both partners, the female condom therefore protects both against unwanted fertilization and all STDs (sexually transmitted diseases). Still little used and often unknown, it nevertheless offers effective and complete protection. It is to be hoped that it will become more democratic in order to offer more protection to couples.

Resembling a kind of sheath with a flexible ring at each of its ends, the female condom is placed inside the vagina. Made of polyurethane, it is thinner but more resistant than the male condom and is for single use. It is already lubricated and can be placed several hours before intercourse. It can also stay in place for several hours afterwards, but must be changed each time.

To insert it, the inner ring (on the closed side of the condom) must be grasped to help hold it inside the vagina. It is therefore pushed as far as possible inside the cavity with the help of his index finger. The outer ring (the largest), it then comes to cover the external genitalia of the woman.

Quite surprising at first, it is however not difficult to use it if you know how to do it:

• Take the condom out of its packaging without damaging or tearing it and choose a position that feels comfortable to you (sitting or lying down, it’s up to you)
• Squeeze the inner ring (the smaller one) between your thumb and forefinger and insert it as far as possible into the vagina
• With your index finger, push it all the way down without pulling the outer ring into the vagina. The female condom is now in place
• During intercourse, all you have to do is check that the penis fits into the device.

To remove it, you must turn the outer ring on itself to close the condom and prevent semen from escaping, then gently pull it out of the vagina.

If used properly, its effectiveness rises to over 95%. But in most cases, it is still poorly understood and therefore often poorly inserted. This then leads to a failure rate much higher than 5% since it is closer to 20%.

As with the male condom, regular training to master its placement and removal can only be of benefit to users. This will make it easier to find a comfortable body position for its insertion and a method that seems simple enough to remove it. To further improve its effectiveness in terms of contraception, nothing prevents its use from being coupled with another contraceptive method (pill, IUD, implant, etc.).

Offered without a prescription, these condoms are available over the counter in all pharmacies and even on the Internet. Their price is slightly higher than for male condoms: count around 9 or 10 € for a box of 3, but there are also free ones in family planning and education centers and testing centers.

Much more resistant than the male model, it offers more security if it is well put in place. It also does not force the man to withdraw immediately after ejaculation and can be inserted several hours before intercourse. It can be used by all people allergic to latex since it does not contain any latex and, according to the manufacturers, offers a more pleasant tactile sensation and a sensation of heat close to that of the body. It is also compatible with all kinds of lubricants (although it is already lubricated to begin with) and does not compress the male sex. Finally, it allows women to calmly control their sexuality and to choose their own means of protection themselves.

However, there are still some drawbacks to its use. First of all, its installation is not necessarily easy, with sometimes three or four failures before managing to install it correctly. It is therefore recommended to train regularly to place it. In addition, the woman must have a good knowledge of her anatomy to understand how it works. Very young women are therefore not the most able to use it. Finally, some users report that the female condom can be noisy during sex, which can bother some.