Health Center - Birth Control
For many women, birth control pills are the contraception method of choice. “The pill” has evolved over the years and more options exist than ever before. Unsure which is the right birth control method for you? Not sure what to do if you miss a pill? Find answers to these questions and more here.
Birth Control Pills Guide
Female Condom
Effectiveness: 79 to 95 percent; effectiveness is reduced if it slips or tears (5-21 pregnancies per 100 women each year).
What is it? A soft, loose lubricated polyurethane pouch that fits inside your vagina and has flexible rings at each end to hold it in place. It is coated inside and out with lubricant.
How does it work? The pouch catches the semen and keeps sperm from reaching the egg. The barrier also reduces your risk of STDs. It can be inserted up to 8 hours before sex. To use, put spermicide of lubricant on the closed end of the condom and insert the smaller ring deep in your vagina, pushing it back to the cervix. The larger ring stays outside over the vulva.
STD protection: Yes, it protects against most STDs though no birth control method protects provides guaranteed protection.
Benefits: Female condoms are the only female-controlled protection against
