How to use a condom.

By Philip Copitch, Ph.D.

Last week I ran a post called Moms want school to teach Sex Education accurately. It got a lot of attention and many questions. Thanks! (I only got 2 flaming hate emails... less than usual.)

One question was, "How do you teach someone how to use a condom? " Great question, and I appreciate those of you who asked it.

Let's face it, it is uncomfortable to talk about sex. Our society is hung up with sex and it is often a contentious political subject. But information is important. Only with accurate information can we all make informed decisions.

If you care for someone, but are uncomfortable about having a discussion this explicit in nature, let this blog help.

Print out the following information and make it available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention answers this question in a matter of fact manner:

How do you use a condom

To achieve maximum protection by using condoms, they must be used consistently and correctly.

The failure of condoms to protect against STD/HIV transmission usually results from inconsistent or incorrect use, rather than product failure.

Inconsistent or nonuse can lead to STD acquisition because transmission can occur with a single sex act with an infected partner.

Incorrect use diminishes the protective effect of condoms by leading to condom breakage, slippage, or leakage. Incorrect use more commonly entails a failure to use condoms throughout the entire sex act, from start (of sexual contact) to finish (after ejaculation).

How to Use a Condom Consistently and Correctly:

• Use a new condom for every act of vaginal, anal, and oral sex throughout the entire sex act (from start to finish).
• Before any genital contact, put the condom on the tip of the erect penis with the rolled side out. 
• If the condom does not have a reservoir tip, pinch the tip enough to leave a half-inch space for semen to collect. Holding the tip, unroll the condom all the way to the base of the erect penis.
• After ejaculation and before the penis gets soft, grip the rim of the condom and carefully withdraw. Then gently pull the condom off the penis, making sure that semen doesn't spill out.
• Wrap the condom in a tissue and throw it in the trash where others won't handle it.
• If you feel the condom break at any point during sexual activity, stop immediately, withdraw, remove the broken condom, and put on a new condom.
• Ensure that adequate lubrication is used during vaginal and anal sex, which might require water-based lubricants.  Oil-based lubricants (e.g., petroleum jelly, shortening, mineral oil, massage oils, body lotions, and cooking oil) should not be used because they can weaken latex, causing breakage.

Get this complete fact sheet for free: CDC - Condom Effectiveness - Condom Fact Sheet In Brief

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Want more information about condoms

 Condom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A condom (US /ˈkɒndəm/ or UK /ˈkɒndɒm/) is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases (STDs—such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV). It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner. Because condoms are waterproof, elastic, and durable, they are also used in a variety of secondary applications. These include collection of semen for use in infertility treatment as well as non-sexual uses such as creating waterproof microphones and protecting rifle barrels from clogging.

In the modern age, condoms are most often made from latex, but some are made from other materials such as polyurethane, polyisoprene, or lamb intestine. A female condom is also available, most often made of nitrile.

As a method of birth control, male condoms have the advantage of being inexpensive, easy to use, having few side effects, and of offering protection against sexually transmitted diseases. With proper knowledge and application technique—and use at every act of intercourse—women whose partners use male condoms experience a 2% per-year pregnancy rate with perfect use and a 15% per-year pregnancy rate with typical use.[1]

Condoms have been used for at least 400 years. Since the 19th century, they have been one of the most popular methods of contraception in the world. While widely accepted in modern times, condoms have generated some controversy, primarily over what role they should play in sex education classes. They are considered unacceptable in almost all situations by certain religions, notably the Catholic church.

The section on the history of the condom is fascinating, informative, and a little funny.

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Moms want school to teach Sex Education accurately

By Philip Copitch, Ph.D.

Health educator Mica Ghimenti and registered nurse Aubree Smith have filed a civil lawsuit against Clovis Unified School District in Fresno, California. The two mom’s are concerned that the district is not teaching sex education in accordance with the California law enacted in 2003.

Smith told NBC News, "Our kids need complete, accurate information to help them protect themselves against STDs and unintended pregnancy.”

According to the ACLU of Northern California, legal counsel for the two moms, the California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act (SB 71) requires that sex education in public schools be based in public health science and teach teens about building healthy relationships, the benefits of delaying sexual activity, and accurate information about condoms and contraception.

Phyllida Burlingame, reproductive justice policy director at the ACLU of Northern California told NBC News, The civil lawsuit is the first of its kind in California since the passage of a 2003 law requiring that sexual health education in public schools be comprehensive and medically accurate.

Clovis Unified School District spokeswoman, Kelly Avants, released the following statement:

"It appears from an initial review that the concern raised in this lawsuit stems from a question of differing interpretations of the depth and breadth of a school district's obligation to cover detailed sexual content in its family life-sex education materials.

"The District notes that some of the information contained in the suit does not accurately describe existing procedures and practices in Clovis Unified related to parent notification. 

“We will continue our review of the suit in order to better understand the concerns raised by the plaintiffs, but Clovis Unified has fully complied with both the California Education Code and the State’s content standards.”

Sex Education in California Public Schools, report

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco, released a report, Uneven Progress: Sex Education in California Public Schools in November of 2011. In this report they stated, “The passage of SB71 was a key landmark on the road towards ensuring the health of California youth, but there is much work still to be done.”

Also noted, “One out of five districts (19%) reported that in their instruction, birth control methods were mentioned, but most of the time was spent on the benefits of abstinence. Furthermore, 16% of districts reported that they teach that “condoms are not an effective means of preventing pregnancies and STDs/HIV”, an inaccurate statement.”

You can obtain a free PDF of this report at: https://www.aclunc.org/docs/reproductive_rights/uneven_progress_full_report.pdf

Accurate, science based information

A major goal of this blog is to bring accurate, science based information to my readers. On the subject of condoms and public health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states:

Consistent and correct use of the male latex condom reduces the risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. However, condom use cannot provide absolute protection against any STD. The most reliable ways to avoid transmission of STDs are to abstain from sexual activity, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner.  However, many infected persons may be unaware of their infection because STDs often are asymptomatic and unrecognized.

You can get this Condom Fact Sheet In Brief, for free, from the CDC: CDC - Condom Effectiveness - Condom Fact Sheet In Brief