The female condom: issues and challenges for the future
María Lameiras Fernández, María Victoria Carrera Fernández, José María Faílde Garrido

SUMMARY

  This paper presents relevant information about a new barrier method, preventive and contraceptive, for use by women: the female condom. It includes issues relating to their composition, characteristics, effectiveness and usage. And then we point out the main issues addressed in research on the method carried out so far, which have focused mainly on determining its safety and viability of use. To finish shaping up those outstanding issues, with particular emphasis on the need to conduct research focusing on the influence that gender stereotypes and sexist attitudes have to explain the use / non use of this method, and in developing research qualitative, allowing access to the worlds and experiences of individual women and their partners.

KEY WORDS

Female condom, effectiveness, viability of use, gender stereotypes.