Female condom 7x safe
Female condoms can be re-used up to seven times and still meet international safety standards, according to a recent study.
This finding is significant particularly for developing countries that are battling to control the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Many women report that they are unable to get their male partners to wear condoms, and researchers worldwide are searching for women-controlled methods to stop HIV transmission. The female condom is one such method, but it is far more expensive that the male condom.
Fifty women, mainly sex workers, were recruited for the study and instructed on how to wash the condoms with detergent and re-lubricate them with vegetable oil after use.
Qualified laboratory technicians then checked the condoms, and found that there was only a 1,7% breakage rate after the condoms had been used seven times.
Researcher Mags Beksinska said the findings were important for developing countries. However, she stressed that only the World Health Organisation would be able to make a recommendation on the re-use of female condoms .
“A lot depends on the end-user, and how she washes and relubricates the condom,” said Beksinska.
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