Female condoms, in other words, internal condom have recently begun increasing its reach through blogs and articles being more written on the topic. Earlier, birth control pills or vaginal ring were the only few options before women to prevent their unwanted pregnancies on their own. However, that too required a prescription to use which made it awkward for women to ask for.

Internal condom, on the other hand, female condom does not require a prescription to purchase and hence it is easier to buy from any drug stores. You can even find female condoms online from various women healthcare pharmacies on the internet. Another advantage that wearing a female condom is the prevention of any kind of infections possibly spread through sexual contacts.

Additionally, a female condom does not interfere with the hormones present in the female body. That being said, a lot of women use it along with birth control pills for an extra layer of protection. The female condoms are typically made of polyurethane and not latex. Thus, women who are allergic to latex can also use it during their sexual intercourse.

Before we move onto the use of female condoms, here’s a little explanation of female condoms work!

If you are aware of the working of male condoms, female condoms work pretty much the same. The only difference between the two is the inner ring which is inserted in the vagina along with the condom. The outer ring hangs around an inch from the vagina. As women insert the condom in their vagina, the male partner can insert the penis into the condom. You must remove it when your male partner ejaculated into the condom.  

This blog offers a step-by-step explanation of how women can use a female condom to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

Check the package of the female condom:

Whenever you are buying a femidom, you should examine its package first. Right from the expiration date to lubricants distributed, everything must be checked properly so as to avoid any kind of inefficacy. Bad quality of the condom may put you in an unwanted pregnancy risk and hence it is important that you check the package as soon as you receive the product.

Learn using the female condom:

Yes, a condom can only be used once and must be thrown immediately after its use. However, it is essential that you practice using a female condom, especially if it’s your first time with the condom. Once you know how to insert it in the vagina and use it, it will give you confidence at the time of having sexual intercourse when you’ll actually be using the condom.

Remove the condom package at the time of sexual intercourse:

Do not keep the condom package open and leave it to use at sexual intercourse. Instead, open the package when you’ll want to use it for pregnancy prevention. Tear the arrow at the top of your package and you’re ready to use the femidom!

Spermicide at the closed end:

Female condoms will typically have lubricant distributed in the condom surface. Having said that, you can consider putting lubricant or spermicide on the outside of the condom, at the closed end part. This will help you decrease the risks of unwanted pregnancy situations. Additionally, using extra lubricant will help your male partner to easily insert the penis into the condom.

Sit, squat or stand on one foot:

While you insert the condom into your vagina, you should look for a position in which you’re comfortable. You can be in the same position which you use for inserting the tampon during the menstrual period. Some women prefer sitting, squatting or standing on one foot to insert the condom into the vagina. If you do not find any comfortable position, you can ask your partner to insert the condom for you.

Press the inner ring:

Hold the sides of the inner ring of the condom and squeeze it together. The female condom can be a little slithery due to the lubricant. Hence, it is advised to have a firm grip on the condom while you insert it in the vagina.

Push the inner ring:

After you insert the condom into your vagina, push the ring in it inside toward the cervix. The ring will naturally expand after the ring reaches the cervix. Once the placing takes place, you don’t feel the ring anymore. It is exactly how you insert a tampon in your reproductive organ. If you are feeling the condom despite placing it in the vagina, you have not inserted it properly.

Insert the penis:

After you pull your finger out and properly placed the condom in your vagina, your partner can insert his penis into the condom. You can guide your partner to insert the penis into the outer ring of the condom which hangs outside the vagina. While you help him out with the penile insertion, you must ensure that the penis is not touching your vaginal wall.

Removal of the condom:

You can have sexual intercourse after the penis is inserted in the female reproductive organ. When your male partner ejaculates the semen collected in the condom must be removed at the earliest. Once the condom collects the semen, it should not be used again for sexual intercourse. You or your partner must carefully remove the penis from the condom ensuring that the semen doesn’t fall in the vagina.

The female condom is an effective way of avoiding unwanted pregnancy. You must ensure that the condom is being used by only one of the partners. If the female partner is using an internal condom, the male partner should not use an external condom for protected sexual intercourse. Both partners using the condom can generate friction which will further lead to the tearing of both condoms, thereby becoming prone to pregnancy risks. Additionally, the female condom can also be used for anal intercourse.