Private MD News

Survey shows: Sex with condoms is still awesome

Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

This Valentine's Day, couples across the U.S. will be exchanging many things - gifts, loving words, playful smiles and many other wonderful moments. However, if these couples aren't careful, then another thing they may be exchanging during this holiday is sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). There is a serious STD problem among Americans, and, unfortunately people continue to engage in risky sexual behaviors, which increases their chances of contracting an infection or virus such as HIV.

Aside from abstaining from sexual activity altogether, the best way a person can protect themselves against STDs is to use a condom. However, some people claim that sex is not pleasurable if they use a condom, a myth that's helped to proliferate the spread STDs. Researchers from the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington set out to determine if this view is commonly held and true. They found that despite what people may think, sex remains pleasurable whether a condom is used or not.

People don't mind condoms
To come to their conclusions, researchers reviewed a nationally representative study of men and women between the ages of 18 and 59. The scientists wanted to learn more about condom and lubricant use during participants' sexual activity, and how they related to the quality of sex.

They discovered that men and women often rate sex as being both highly arousing and enjoyable, regardless of whether condoms or lubricant were used. Furthermore, far more women than men were unaware of whether the condoms they usually use are lubricated, which suggests that men are more likely to purchase condoms. This is important information, since it may help researchers determine the target audience in campaigns that encourage condom use. However, the researchers added that women need to familiarize themselves with the types of condoms they use so they can make more decisions about their sex life that may impact both pleasure and safety.

"We need to understand how people make choices about the products they use, or avoid using, and how these products contribute to the safety and pleasurable aspects of their sexual experiences. This is particularly important as the products themselves evolve and become more mainstream in American society. We also need to understand what men and women know, or don't know, about the products they use so that we can better target public health education messages to individuals and groups," said researcher Debby Herbenick, co-director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion.

Protect yourself
Using condoms is the best way for people to protect themselves against STDs while engaging in sexual activity. However, simply wearing a condom isn't enough, since many people may be unknowingly using condoms incorrectly. For example, the Collation for Positive Sexuality states that it's important to check the expiration date on condom packages, since, believe it or not, they can actually expire and become less effective. Also, it's important to make sure that condoms are the right size, since ones that are too large or too small may not only be ineffective, but could also make sex less pleasurable.

Furthermore, many people may not realize that they can also contract an STD through oral sex. This is why it's important to use a condom while engaging in all forms of sexual activity, not just the ones that can also result in pregnancy. Finally, people should remember that while other forms of contraceptives prevent pregnancy, only condoms protect against STDs.