IMPORTANT TIPS
- Make sure condoms are available and convenient. If no condoms are handy at the time of a sexual encounter, you may be tempted to have intercourse without one.
- Carefully withdraw the penis right after ejaculation so that semen cannot leak out of the condom as the erection is lost.
- Use each condom only once.
- Do not carry condoms in your wallet for long periods of time. Replace them every once in a while. Friction from opening and closing your wallet, and from walking (if you carry your wallet in your pocket) can lead to tiny holes in the condom. Nevertheless, it is better to use a condom that has been in your wallet for a long time than to not use one at all.
- Don't use a condom that is brittle, sticky, or discolored. These are signs of age, and old condoms are more likely to break.
- If a condom package is damaged, don't use the condom because it also may be damaged.
- Do not use a petroleum-based substance such as Vaseline as a lubricant. These substances break down latex, the material in some condoms.
- If you feel a condom break during intercourse, stop right away and put on a new one. Remember, ejaculation does not have to occur for a pregnancy to result (pre-ejaculatory fluids can contain active sperm), or for a disease to be transmitted.
- If ejaculation occurs with a broken condom, insert a spermicidal foam or jelly to help reduce the risk of pregnancy or passing an STD. You can also contact your health care provider or pharmacy about emergency contraception ("morning-after pills").
- Store condoms in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and heat.
