2 What are the drawbacks?īarrier methods can provide protection against HIV and STDs, yet they are not an option for everyone. This is an important consideration for many women. Hopefully, a barrier method can be developed that separates the control of fertility from the prevention of STDs. Finally, there is no barrier method that allows women to protect themselves from HIV and still get pregnant. 5 Female-controlled HIV/STD prevention methods can be empowering 11 and are vital in an HIV epidemic that is increasingly infecting women, especially in developing countries. Female- and receptive-partner-controlled options can be used in situations where it is difficult to negotiate condom use such as in an abusive relationship, where there is economic disincentive to use a condom 10 or where the insertive partner refuses to use a condom. These methods are still detectable by sexual partners and partners can still refuse to use them. Female-controlled and receptive-partner-controlled options (such as female condoms or future microbicides) may be used without the participation or consent of the insertive partner. Male condom use requires male participation or negotiation. For others, using condoms is seen as a barrier to intimacy. Some don’t use condoms because they reduce sexual sensation. In addition, some people fail to use a condom with every act of sexual intercourse. For example, users may fail to either put on a condom before genital contact or completely unroll the condom. What most often limits condoms’ effectiveness is user failure rather than product failure. Male condoms are an extremely effective means of HIV, STD and pregnancy prevention. Why do we need alternatives to male condoms? The impact of small doses of N-9 is not clear. N-9 is commonly used in much smaller amounts as part of a condom lubricant. 9 This study documented the harmful effects of a relatively large dose of N-9 on HIV infection. 8 In August, 2000, the CDC recommended against N-9 as a sole barrier method for HIV prevention. Preliminary results showed that there were more new HIV infections among the N-9 group than in the Replens group. The study of female sex workers in Thailand, South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin, randomly assigned women to use either a gel containing 52.5 mg of N-9 or a placebo, a vaginal moisturizer known as Replens. One of the most widely used spermicides, Nonoxynol 9 (N-9), was recently tested for its ability to prevent HIV. Spermicides (gels, creams, foams, or films that can be inserted into the vagina) are available for preventing pregnancy. Dental dams are latex sheets used to provide a barrier in oral/anal and oral/vaginal sex. Although studies have shown that these cervical blocking methods may also prevent certain STDs 7, research has not been conducted to show that they prevent HIV. 6 The diaphragm, cervical cap and sponge are often used with a spermicide and block the cervix to prevent conception. 4,5 The female condom, made of polyurethane plastic, is also used for receptive anal sex, but it was not designed for that purpose. What methods are available?Ĭurrently, the male and female condoms are used for the prevention of HIV, STDs and unintended pregnancy. Because HIV rates continue to increase among women and among men who have sex with men (MSM) 2,3, it is time to strengthen both current condom use programs and develop other barrier methods that optimize usage and choice in prevention. After two decades, there is a call to create a greater selection of barrier methods to combat HIV. 1 Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, the latex male condom has been the exclusive prevention tool. People have successfully used contraceptive physical barriers for centuries. They do not include hormonal contraceptive methods. Barrier methods can be physical or chemical substances which prevent pregnancy and/or block the spread of STDs including HIV. Can Barrier Methods Help in HIV Prevention? Why barrier methods?īarrier methods are a relatively low-cost, accessible and important part of the pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention landscape.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |