Female Condom Utilization in Sexual Health Interventions
Summary
Female condoms have emerged as a pivotal user-initiated barrier method that affords women and receptive partners greater autonomy in preventing sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and unintended pregnancy. Designed for internal use, devices have undergone successive refinements to improve comfort, ease of insertion and sensory experience. Integration into sexual health interventions spans community distribution campaigns, clinic-based counselling, social marketing and peer-led demonstrations. Uptake is influenced by availability, cost, cultural attitudes, partner negotiation dynamics and perceptions of design. Facilitators include targeted education, provider engagement, iterative practice and recognition of the female condom as an empowering tool that shifts responsibility for protection. Programme success relies on robust supply chains, provider training and context-specific messaging. Globally, female condom utilisation complements male condom strategies, enhances dual protection and contributes to reproductive autonomy, particularly in settings where women’s control over contraception is limited.
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Female Condom Utilization in Sexual Health Interventions publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in female condom utilization in sexual health interventions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Female condom: A user-initiated internal barrier device made of polymer or latex, designed to line the vagina or anus and prevent exchange of bodily fluids during intercourse.
Barrier method: A contraceptive strategy that physically blocks sperm or pathogens from entering the reproductive tract.
Dual protection: A prevention approach that simultaneously guards against unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Acceptability: The degree to which a health intervention or device is considered suitable, satisfying and comfortable by its intended users, influenced by cultural, interpersonal and personal factors.
References
- A qualitative study on the clinical safety and user experiences of female condoms for anal intercourse among men who have sex with men in Shanghai, China. Frontiers in Public Health (2023).
- Effectiveness of the female condom in preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health (2020).
- Barriers and Facilitators to Acceptability of the Female Condom in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Annals of Global Health (2022).
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