How to Avoid Pregnancy Using The Right Condoms ( + Condom Quiz)

There’s a thin line between safe sex and pregnancy.

Imagine a game of football, where the opposing team is trying to score a goal. The striker goes past your first line of defence (midfielders) and the defenders. But to get a goal, the ball has to get past the keeper into the net.

Your goalkeeper is always your last line of defence. In this case, your condom is the goalie. The barrier that keeps you from having to worry about giving birth to a child untimely.

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Condoms are thin pouches of latex, polyurethane, or lambskin used during sex to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

However, using the right condom can make a huge difference in whether you get pregnant. What’s more important is knowing how to choose the right one for your needs and using them perfectly.

Here are a few things to ask yourself when choosing a condom for your sexual needs:

What material is the condom made of?

This is the most important factor in choosing the right condom. You want to be certain that the condom material is safe for you and your partner.

While most condoms are made with latex, there are brands that use polyurethane or lambskin. The latter are less likely to cause irritation and allergic reactions compared to latex condoms.

Does the condom fit perfectly?

To experience safe and pleasurable sex, having the right size of a condom is equally important. If it’s too small, it can break. And if it’s too loose, it can slip off.

The hack to getting the right fit is to try different sizes before sex. Roll the condom on; it should feel comfy, and not so tight that it hurts you.

What type of lubricant do you have?

Lubricants help reduce friction and increase sensation during sex. So, having the right type matters when using condoms.

The best choice for lubricants is water-based lubricant. This is because they’re less likely to cause irritation or break a condom.

Is the condom shape comfortable?

It's common for condom brands to build different shapes of condoms in order to differentiate themselves from other manufacturers.

You might find that some condoms have shapes that give you more pleasure, while others are designed to please your partner.

The best thing to do is explore different shapes and choose the one you’re most comfortable with.

Why is it important to choose the right condom?

• By using the right condoms consistently, unintended pregnancies reduce, resulting in fewer abortions.
• Besides protecting yourself from STDs and unintended pregnancy, condoms can also prevent disease transmission. They reduce your chances of coming into contact with bodily fluids (like blood, semen, and vaginal fluid) that may contain infectious diseases. For example, if your partner has an STD, such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea, using a condom will decrease your chances of becoming infected with the same infection.
• During penetrative sex, condoms are a sure-fire way to prevent HIV.

Frequently Asked Questions About Condoms

Can you get pregnant while using condoms?

Yes. This is because a condom can break while in use.

Ideally, condoms are 95% effective in preventing pregnancy. However, due to human error, it’s possible to get pregnant even when you use it correctly.

Therefore, it’s advisable to use a condom and another method of contraception to absolutely prevent pregnancy.

What to use with condoms to prevent pregnancy?

You can use condoms with spermicides to kill off the sperm before they reach the uterus. To also double your chances of not getting pregnant, you can use birth control pills, IUDs or implants.

Can you reuse a condom?

This is a terrible act. You should never consider reusing a condom. This is because you do not get maximum protection against STIs or pregnancy prevention with a reused condom.

How can condoms fail?

Failure can happen when a condom breaks or slips off while having sex. It’s also possible that the condom has expired, or it was stored incorrectly.

What do you do if a condom fails?

If you notice during sex that the condom broke, stop immediately. Get another condom if it’s close.

However, it’s advisable to use an emergency pill if a condom is the only contraceptive method you’re using.

Can I get HIV if my condom breaks during sex?

Yes. Once a condom breaks, there goes your last line of defence. You have no protection again, and you stand the risk of getting STIs.

Final Thoughts

Giving the right protection a shot ensures you don't have to worry about pregnancy or STIs. So, always ask the right questions and take all the steps to ensure your choice of condom is the right one.

With our sexual care package, you can always find the right condoms for your needs.