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medpundit |
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Tuesday, January 21, 2003A newly published survey of 779 sexually active unmarried women 18 to 24 who were recent condom users revealed that in the previous three months 44 percent had waited too long for the condom to be applied. The delay may have exposed them to viable sperm and infectious organisms, including H.I.V. And 19 percent reported that the condom slipped or broke in intercourse, placing them at risk of disease and pregnancy. But, taking a page from the lately very vocal condom crowd, she attributes this not to the inherent risk of condom use, but to the stupidity of their users: Other studies also suggest that the problem of obtaining maximum protection from condom use is often compounded by inadequate knowledge about the way to apply and remove condoms properly and ways to minimize the risk of breakage and slippage. She then goes on to overestimate the reliability and effectiveness of condoms: Used properly and consistently, condoms are 97 percent to 98 percent effective in preventing pregnancy and provide the best possible protection, short of total abstinence from sexual activity, against sexually transmitted infections, including H.I.V. and the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer. While condoms may be better than no protection, they in no way approach the 97 to 98 percent effectiveness range in real use. Nor do they protect against HPV, largely because HPV lesions can be on the scrotum, which of course, isn’t covered with a condom. And although, in a perfect world, it might be possible to use condoms perfectly every time, we must face up to their limitations. Even among highly motivated couples who took part in the study of HIV transmission and condom use that Ms. Brody cited, the proper and consistent use of them was astonishlingly low. They began with 304 couples. Some relationships ended during the study. For the rest: Of the 256 couples who continued to have sexual relations for more than three months after enrollment in the study, only 124 (48.4 percent) used condoms consistently for vaginal and anal intercourse. Not very reassuring, is it? For who among us is so perfect to do everything exactly right all the time? posted by Sydney on 1/21/2003 08:04:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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