Structural integrity of the polyurethane female condom after multiple cycles of disinfection, washing, drying and relubrication

Expanding Safer Sex Options: Introducing the Female Condom into National Programmes

“…The studies clearly indicate that disinfecting, washing and drying a female condom up to seven times does not harm the structural integrity of the device. [30][31][32] WHO recommends use of a new female condom for every act of intercourse. Recognising the urgent need for risk-reduction strategies for women who cannot or do not access new condoms, WHO has developed a draft protocol for the safe handling and preparation of used female condoms for re-use.…”

Efficacy of a dish detergent in reducing populations of STI organisms in inoculated female condoms

“…6,7 In our study, bleach and dish detergent performed comparably in reducing test organism populations on condom surfaces. For most tests, reductions of >99.99% were achieved.…”

“…Other researchers used Sunlight Dishwashing Liquidt at 6.0 mL/L water to measure the impact of the detergent on the structural integrity of the female condom after soaking and washing. 7 In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a dish detergent in reducing populations of STI organisms which were combined with human semen and inoculated into female condoms. The organisms studied were Neisseria gonorrhoeae, HIV-1, HSV-2 and Chlamydia trachomatis.…”

Re-use of the Female Condom: Now for the Practical Realities

“…This has led to research into the safety of re-use of female condoms. 1,2 Clinical guidelines on re-use of the female condom were released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2002. 3 The WHO protocol states that while a new condom is best with each act of intercourse, in situations where they are not available or affordable, evidence suggests that the structural integrity of the female condom allows it to be used at least five times, if the WHO guidelines are followed.…”