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If you usecondoms, you probably have questions.
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Lots of questions, like: Can you get pregnant with a condom even if it doesnt break?
And: Should you use a condom during oral sex?
Yep, pretty sexy stuff.
Condoms can play a key role in protecting youwhen theyre used correctly.
(Except, of course, not having sex.
Which isnt useful if you definitely want to have sex, so!
Chalk it up to the operational hazards of being a board-certified ob-gyn.
Mistake: You assume that using condoms is the best way to avoid getting pregnant.
Because yes, it’s possible for you to get pregnant using a condom even if it doesnt break.
Mistake: You dont get tested for STIs because you’ve been using condoms.
Condoms can beeffective at preventing STIs, but they’re not perfect.
Condoms are still our best defense against STIs when having sex with someone who has a penis.
Mistake: You reuse a condom.
This is not a good habit to get into, she says.
Mistake: You use a condom that doesnt fit well.
Penises come in all shapes and sizes, and so do condoms.
Yes, it can be an awkward conversation to have, but your safety matters more.
Hopefully, you feelcomfortable communicatingwith anyone who gets access to your body.
Mistake: You use a condom that’s been stored in a wallet.
Throw it out and grab a new one.
It might seem like a convenient move (hey, you want to be prepared, right?)
but thisisn’t really the safest placefor something that hasthisimportant of a job.
Mistake: You dont inspect the condom wrapper and condom itself for tears.
We get that you dont want tokill the moodby looking your condom over with a magnifying glass.
Mistake: You use an expired condom.
And while youre already looking at the package, you might as well check thecondoms expirationdate, too.
The expiration date is there for a reason, says Dr. Dweck.
Some condoms have spermicide or other ingredients that break down over time and dont work as well.
Mistake: You dont apply the condom correctly.
The rolled edge of an external condom should be on the outside facing away from the penis.
Don’t feel bad if you make this mistake!
“People attempt to force it down when this happens,” says Dr. Levine.
Of course, internal condoms have their own nuances.
The thick ring gets placed inside the vagina and holds the condom in place.
The thin ring stays outside of the body and surrounds the vaginal opening.
Mistake: You play “just the tip” sans protection.
Ah, just the tip, the riskiest part of foreplay if you’re not wearing a condom.
Here’s why this isn’t a great idea.
For starters, it’s unlikely but theoretically possible to still get pregnant this way.
(you’re able to read more about thathere.)
And yes, even just the tip can spread STIs.
Mistake: You forget to pinch the tip of the condom.
That little reservoir tip at the top of external condoms serves a purpose: Its there to collectsperm.
Skip this step and sperm can actually leak out of the base of the condom.
After [ejaculation], pressure can cause sperm to leak out the sides," says Dr. Levine.
Mistake: You use two condoms for “extra” safety.
The friction of two against each other just makes each one more likely to break, says Dr. Levine.
Mistake: You use natural condoms instead of latex ones.
Some peopleare allergic to latexcondoms and might try condoms made out of lambskin and various natural ingredients.
“They don’t offer the same protection against diseases,” says Dr. Levine.
Mistake: You don’t change condoms frequently enough.
If you’re switching from anal sex to vaginal, it’s time for a condom change.
“You dont want to introduce bacteria from the rectum into the vagina,” says Dr. Levine.
Mistake: You snuggle post-orgasm while your partner is still inside you.
The point is, take off the condom,thencuddle.
Mistake: You don’t use enough lube.
Mistake: You use the wrong kind of lube.
Look for water- or silicone-based lubes instead of oil-based products to use with your latex condoms.
You should also avoid using lotions, massage oils, or petroleum jelly as a stand-in for lube.
That’s because the oil from these products can actually degrade the latex, says Dr. Levine.
(Read about how to choose a lubehere.
One affordable, expert-recommended pick is Good Clean Love Almost Naked Personal Lubricant, $7,Amazon.)
Mistake: You don’t have your own stash of condoms.
There are benefits to buying your own condoms so you dont have to rely on your partner.
It’s also just good to have a backup in case your partner doesn’t have one.
Mistake: You dont use a condom every single time you should.
This is not a good idea for all of the reasons we’ve already mentioned above.
So ensure the condom is in place beforeyou start having sexand that it stays there until youre both finished.
Mistake: You dont use a condom for oral sex.
Mistake: You never considered using an internal condom.
Internal condoms have come a long way and are totally worth trying, says Dr. Dweck.
Theyre very effective, and the new and improved models arent as noisy, she explains.
The noise used to be a big deterrent for women but the new models are much better.
Mistake: You keep having sex even after the condom breaks.
You should not keep going if you feel the condom breakas tempting as that may be.
Instead, theCDCrecommendsstopping immediatelyand asking your partner to withdraw or to withdraw yourself.
Then, you should carefully remove the broken condom and put on a new one.
