Male condom

What is it? A thin latex or plastic sheath placed over a man's erect penis during sex to trap sperm at the point of ejaculation.

Advantages:
• Easily available 
• Protects against sexually transmitted infections 
• There are no side effects 
• Not affected by any other medicines 
• There are no hormones involved so will not effect levels of fertility

Considerations:
• May reduce the spontaneity of sex 
• Must be put on the penis before there is any contact with the vagina and must be withdrawn carefully after sex so as not to spill any semen 
• May slip off or split during sex - so care needs to be taken to use them - avoid splitting with fingernails or not holding on to the condoms when withdrawing penis from the vagina. 

Available from: Medical professionals (often free from family planning clinics), pharmacies, supermarkets and vending machines

Effectiveness: It is 94%-98% effective depending on correct use. Only use condoms with the BSI or CE kite mark on the packet