Condoms are devices used for contraception, i.e. to prevent
pregnancies. Though the basic purpose of condoms is birth
control, they are also used in a major way to get protection from
sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea and
AIDS. The male condom is a cylindrical bag-like structure that
fits snugly over the penis. It has a pouch on the anterior end,
where the seminal discharge collects after ejaculation. It has a
hardened rim at the base where it remains fit on the penis shaft.
The condom generally has lubrication on it so that it could
maintain greater contact with the penis, and also provide better
friction with the female vagina. Condoms can be enhanced by using
patterns and flavors on them. The most popular patterns are
dotted, ribbed and contoured condoms, and the most popular
flavors are banana, apple and chocolate.
The male condom is designed to fit over the erect penis. It was
previously made primarily of animal skin or of latex, but now
polyurethane is also being increasingly used. Latex has immense
elastic properties and hence condoms can be stretched to very
great limits without being worried of them getting torn. But
latex has an offensive odor for some, and that explains the
current popularity of polyurethane as the choice for condom
manufactures.
Much has been written and said about the correct manner of
putting a condom on. This is extremely important to know, because
an improperly put condom could become ineffective in preventing
pregnancies and also in preventing STDs. In order to put a
condom, the penis has to be made erect first by sexual
stimulation. Then the pouch of the condom must be placed over the
glans. The condom must then be slowly unfurled over the length of
the penis, till as far as it can go. Ideally, it must be pulled
till the scrotal sac. Once the condom is worn, it must not be
moved much, but used directly for penetrative sexual
intercourse.
When the man ejaculates, the pouch gets filled with the seminal
discharge. Hence, care must be taken while removing the condom
also. Otherwise, the semen may fall on the vagina, which could
lead to a pregnancy. After the ejaculation, the penis must be
removed from the vagina. The condom must be slowly extracted from
over the penis, holding it away from the vagina, and squeezing at
the top of the pouch so that there is no chance of the semen
falling anywhere and soiling the sheets or the floor. A used
condom must be disposed in the waste paper basket. A condom once
used must never be reused, even after washing it.
If used correctly, condoms are the best way to prevent
pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. There are cases in
which people cite failure of condoms, but the fact is that the
condom itself does not fail; the failure is due to the way it is
used. Sometimes people do not take the condom all the way to the
base of the penis shaft, due to which there is a risk of the
condom coming off in the vagina and spilling its contents into
it.
Condom sabotage is also a major issue. This happens when one
partner wants a baby while the other doesn’t. The one who wants
a baby might make a little tear in the condom without the
knowledge of the other partner. This would definitely lead to a
pregnancy and the victim of condom sabotage could believe that
the pregnancy occurred due to failure of the condom.
Sometimes partners could take a once-in-a-while risk. They may
plan a sexual intercourse during the ebb of the menstrual cycle
when chances of pregnancy are low. They may not use a condom. But
this always does not work. Pregnancies could occur, while the
couple could think the pregnancy occurred during one of the
intercourses they had with a condom.
Despite its major advantages, there are also some arguments
against the use of condoms. Since the time the condom was
invented, the major contention has been that it makes sex an
artificial activity. The condom interferes with the human touch
between the penis and the vagina, and the feeling of something
rubbery in between puts a dampener on the sexual intercourse.
This was true in the past when thick animal skin condoms were
used. But today with the development of ultra-thin condoms, this
has become a thing of the past. These condoms provide almost the
same sensation as the natural touch does.
One more problem with the condoms is that it interferes with the
foreplay. The couple would need to stop their foreplay with the
penis in order to put the condom on. By that time, a bit of the
arousal could be worn off. However, a creative couple could
easily circumvent this difficulty. Wearing a condom could be made
a part of the foreplay, where the woman could imaginatively put
the condom on her partner’s penis. This could in fact improve
foreplay, rather than retard it.
Condoms are much in vogue today. In fact their use is felt so
much by the authorities, that condoms are being freely
distributed by government, health and educational institutions.
Though condoms are used on an individual level to avoid
pregnancies, at a global level, they are used to combat against
sexually transmitted diseases.
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