202 Family Planning
Barrier
Methods of
Family
Planning
➤ If a condom
breaks or comes
off the penis, the
woman should put
spermicide in her
vagina immediately.
If possible, use
emergency family
planning (see
page 226).
Barrier methods prevent pregnancy by blocking the sperm
from reaching the egg. They do not change the way the
woman’s or man’s body works, and they cause very few side
effects. Barrier methods are safe if a woman is breastfeeding.
Most of these methods also protect against STIs, including HIV.
When a woman wants to become pregnant, she simply stops
using the barrier method.
The most common barrier methods are the condom,
condoms for women, the diaphragm, and spermicides.
The condom
The condom is a narrow bag of thin rubber that the man
wears on his penis during sex. Because the man’s semen stays
in the bag, the sperm cannot enter the woman’s body.
Condoms are the best protection against STIs and HIV.
They can be used alone or along with any other family planning
method. Condoms can be bought at many pharmacies and
markets, and are often available at health posts and through
AIDS prevention programs.
Be careful not to tear the condom as you open the package.
Do not use a new condom if the package is torn or dried out,
or if the condom is stiff or sticky. The condom will not work.
The condom must be put on the man’s penis when it is hard,
but before it touches the woman’s genitals. If he rubs his penis
on the woman’s genitals or goes into her vagina, he can make
the woman pregnant or can give her an STI, even if he does not
spill his sperm (ejaculate).
How to use a condom:
1. If the man is not circumcised,
pull the foreskin back. Squeeze
the tip of the condom and put it
on the end of the hard penis.
2. K eep squeezing the tip while unrolling the
condom, until it covers all of the penis. The loose
part at the end will hold the man’s sperm. If you
do not leave space for the sperm when it comes
out, the condom is more likely to break.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012