I am thinking of trying out a female condom. How effective are they and how do they work?
Michelle, via email
The female condom is simply a sort of barrier that lines the vagina and stops sperm getting through and fertilising an egg. They are made of a thin plastic called polyurethane. If they’re used correctly, female condoms are 95 per cent effective. This means that five women in 100 who
use female condoms will get pregnant in a year. However, they can be rather cumbersome and are notorious for making strange “farting” noises during sex caused by air collecting within the condom. You also need to make sure that, during sex, your partner’s penis enters your vagina inside the condom, and not between the condom and the wall of your vagina. Female condoms are not as widely available as male condoms.