Female Condoms

Family Health International is a leader in research about the female condom. We have tested the safety and efficacy of the female condom in protecting women from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies; we have studied ways of best introducing this method into family planning programs; and we have shown that the number of protected sex acts rises when male and female condoms are offered together.

 

Many women's advocates and policy-makers recognize that the female condom is a significant alternative that women can use to protect themselves against HIV and STIs.

In March 2009, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a newer, less-expensive female condom, called "FC2." The U.S. FDA’s approval will allow the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to distribute the FC2 female condom in global HIV-prevention programs.