Do Female Condoms Prevent STDs?

You have a lot of options when protecting against sexually transmitted diseases. Barrier methods such as diaphragms for preventing STDs are especially popular for their convenience and flexibility. Female condoms are not as well known as their external counterparts.

As a female-controlled barrier method, many women find them invaluable for preventing unwanted pregnancy. Using one also reduces the risk if you and your partner engage in unsafe practices. But do female condoms prevent STDs? How do female condoms work? And what should you do if your condom fails and you need a rapid STD test? This article will discuss the answers to these questions.

What Are Female Condoms?

Female condoms, also called internal condoms, are much like male condoms in terms of material and function. They are made from synthetic latex and coated with spermicide, but instead of fitting tightly over a man’s penis, they sit loosely inside a woman’s vagina. Female condoms have a strong, flexible ring on each end that keeps them in place.

To use a female condom:

• Open the condom wrapper
• Squeeze the ring at the inner end shut and insert it into your vagina, similar to a tampon
• Push the interior ring inward until it sits near your pubic bone
• Keep the outer ring outside of your vagina
• When finished with penetrative sex, twist the outer end closed and gently take the female condom out
• Dispose of the condom in a trash can, not the toilet

You may wonder, “Do male and female condoms prevent STDs?” Both condoms are highly effective at preventing the spread of STDs, but if you have already been exposed to one, contact Rapid STD Testing to learn your status before engaging in intimate acts with a new sexual partner.

Are Female Condoms Safer?

When you use them as directed, female condoms are one of the safest methods of preventing STDs/STIs. One study showed that even when their users left them in overnight, female condoms led to no complications such as irritation and soreness.

No method of birth control or STI prevention is perfect. Many studies have shown that using male and female condoms together is more effective than using either alone. However, there are few studies on the female condom effectiveness rate when people use them on their own.

What Are the Advantages of Female Condoms?

Female condoms may be a less popular method of birth control than male condoms, but they come with various advantages. First, they are among the most effective methods of preventing unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV.

Because they are a female-controlled method of STI prevention, female condoms are an excellent way for a woman to take charge of her sexual health instead of relying on a man to use a condom on his own.

In addition, female condoms consist of sturdier materials than most male condoms. This means they can stand up better to rough sex than male condoms.

Female condoms are also useful because a person can insert one up to two hours before having sex and leave it in for hours afterward. If you’re worried you may forget a male condom in the heat of the moment, female condoms are a great alternative.

Because they are a barrier method, female condoms can protect both sexual partners from getting STDs. This can dramatically reduce the spread of an STD if you don’t realize you have an infection.

Many female condom users report enhanced sexual pleasure since female condoms transmit heat more effectively than male ones, making the experience more pleasurable for both partners.

Finally, you can use female condoms with water- or oil-based lubricant. This reduces the chance of condom failure.

Does a Female Condom Help Prevent STDs?

Yes, a female condom will help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. With incurable infections such as HIV and HPV on the rise and even curable diseases causing lasting impacts, any effective method of preventing STDs is a good one.

However, female condoms should not be the only method you use to keep from contracting STDs. Female condoms work best when used with other forms of contraception and STD prevention.

Are Female Condoms Better Than Male Condoms?

Studies provide two effectiveness rates for any contraception: the effectiveness for perfect use and the effectiveness for typical use. For perfect use, the effectiveness of female condoms is about 95%, compared to the 98% effectiveness rate of male condoms. Regarding typical use, the same studies show that female condoms are approximately 79% effective, compared to male condoms’ 87% success rate.

Things You Should Know About Using Female Condoms

You can improve the failure rates of female condoms in many ways. First, only use female condoms according to their instructions. Never use a female condom for anal sex, and do not allow your partner’s penis to touch the area outside the female condom.

When you open the wrapper of your female condom, be gentle and never use scissors or your teeth. Female condoms may be robust, but they aren’t unbreakable!

A female condom has a longer shelf life than a male condom, and in general, you can keep one in its wrapper for up to five years before using it. However, you should always look at its expiration date before you decide to use one.

More Reliable Ways To Protect Yourself Against STDs

Using a female condom greatly reduces the risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections in sexually active women. However, even in ideal conditions, no method of birth control is effective 100% of the time. You can get the most effective use from a female condom if you combine it with other forms of STD prevention.

Get Tested for STDs

The first step in preventing the spread of these infections is to always be aware of your STD status. Rapid STD Testing makes this process simple: Visit one of our conveniently located test centers, and get your results in as few as one to three business days.

STD testing is especially important if you:

• Have multiple or anonymous sexual partners
• Are in a new relationship
• Didn’t use protection, or your protection failed
• Cheated on your partner or suspect your partner of cheating
• Are sexually active and single
• Are in the early stages of pregnancy
• Are showing any symptoms of STDs

The Centers for Disease Control recommend that Americans test themselves for STDs as often as every three months in some cases.

Know Your Sexual Partner

Getting tested on your own is only the first step. You must also be able to trust your partner or partners.

If you are in a mutually monogamous relationship, this is a simple process. Things get murkier when more sexual partners are involved. If you are just starting out in a new relationship, make getting tested together a priority early on.

Use Male Condoms

Female condoms are an excellent way to prevent STDs, but they aren’t devoid of risk. Many people prefer male condoms because they are less expensive and easier to find in stores. Additionally, the failure rate of male condoms when you use them properly is much lower than that of female condoms.

Get Vaccinated Against STDs

While vaccines may not be able to prevent the spread of every sexually transmitted disease, they have made excellent headway in curbing the spread of some of them. Talk to your family medicine doctor or family planning clinic to determine whether you are eligible to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B.

Because doctors cannot treat either of these viruses with antibiotics, these are cases where it’s better to prevent them than to deal with them after a diagnosis. In other words, it is always better to treat protection as a preventative measure rather than a cover-up for an infection you already have.

Mix and Match STD Prevention Methods

Combining methods of STD prevention also increases their success rate. You should not use multiple male or female condoms at one time, but using a male condom at the same time as a female one is an effective way to reduce your risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection.

Other Ways You Can Reduce Your Risk of STDs

Do female condoms prevent STDs? Yes, but they should not be your only line of defense against them. If you are sexually active, one of your greatest responsibilities is to know whether you have a sexually transmitted disease. One of the most effective ways to do this is at Rapid STD Testing. Our 10-panel STD test is a comprehensive way of learning your status, and our testing centers can complete it in as little as 15 minutes. Contact Rapid STD Testing to schedule your same-day STD testing today!