Dental dams are very important in preventing the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. Dental or oral dams are small pieces of latex (polyurethane dams are also available) that provide a barrier of protection during oral stimulation of the clitoris, vulva and/or anus. Dental dams can be used to significantly reduce the risk of any vaginal fluid or blood exchange and prevent skin-to-skin contact. Infections such as HIV, syphilis, herpes and hepatitis B can all be passed through oral sex, and nobody wants one of those.
If you find yourself in a pickle with no dental dam in sight, condoms that are un-lubricated (or even better, flavored condoms) can easily be made into good substitutes for dams. Unroll the condom, carefully trim off both ends (tip and the elastic band bottom) and then cut down the length of the condom. This will give you a rectangular piece of material to use in place of a dental dam, plus you’ll feel like you should earn a scout badge for being so innovative. Do not use microwavable plastic wrap, as the “pores” in the material can allow some fluid through, which will defeat the whole purpose.
For those who believe variety is the spice of life, there are many options out there in terms of dental dams. There’s a myriad of different flavors, colors, latex and non-latex choices. A little bit of lube on both sides of the dam can result in a slippery and safe sexual experience (try a water-based flavored lube!).
In downtown Portland, check out Condom Sense, a wonderful retailer which provides a comfortable shopping environment for everything from dental dams to vibrators; they also offer confidential and private online ordering. Also, many family planning and reproductive health centers throughout Maine have free dams available, just ask!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
There's been a lot of hoopla about the withdrawal "method" of birth control lately. Being someone who has worked within the family planning and women's health jungle for quite some time, I wanted to find the facts. Personally, I don't feel like anything that has over a 5% failure rate should be considered a reliable method of birth control. If you're relying on something that isn't reliable... well, you get my point.
Withdrawal or “pulling out” is certainly a better method than nothing at all to avoid unintended pregnancy- however it is not as reliable as other contraceptive methods such as condoms, birth control pills, hormonal ring, IUD, etc. The most recent edition of Contraceptive Technology states that with typical use, withdrawal has a failure rating of about 27%. This means that out of 100 couples using withdrawal as their only method of birth control, 27 of them will get pregnant within one year. It’s also important to remember that withdrawal does not provide effective protection against STI’s, so unless you like the way the word Chlamydia rolls off your tongue, wrap it up!
That being said, withdrawal does have its perks: it’s free, convenient, you don’t need a prescription and it is non-hormonal. It may be a good back-up to other methods of birth control – such as condoms or pills- for those couples who want to be extra careful to avoid an unintended pregnancy. There certainly are risks when using this as your only method. Communication and trust between partners is essential when using withdrawal because you are relying on the male’s self-control, which can (understandably) be clouded just before orgasm.
In order for a woman to be fully in charge of her life, she needs to be taking the steps to protect herself from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. If you’re concerned that your partner did not pull out in time, talk to your health care provider about Emergency Contraception or visit http://www.gotoplanb.com/. In many states (Maine included), adults can access Emergency Contraception over the counter at popular retailers such as Target or a local pharmacy.
Withdrawal or “pulling out” is certainly a better method than nothing at all to avoid unintended pregnancy- however it is not as reliable as other contraceptive methods such as condoms, birth control pills, hormonal ring, IUD, etc. The most recent edition of Contraceptive Technology states that with typical use, withdrawal has a failure rating of about 27%. This means that out of 100 couples using withdrawal as their only method of birth control, 27 of them will get pregnant within one year. It’s also important to remember that withdrawal does not provide effective protection against STI’s, so unless you like the way the word Chlamydia rolls off your tongue, wrap it up!
That being said, withdrawal does have its perks: it’s free, convenient, you don’t need a prescription and it is non-hormonal. It may be a good back-up to other methods of birth control – such as condoms or pills- for those couples who want to be extra careful to avoid an unintended pregnancy. There certainly are risks when using this as your only method. Communication and trust between partners is essential when using withdrawal because you are relying on the male’s self-control, which can (understandably) be clouded just before orgasm.
In order for a woman to be fully in charge of her life, she needs to be taking the steps to protect herself from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. If you’re concerned that your partner did not pull out in time, talk to your health care provider about Emergency Contraception or visit http://www.gotoplanb.com/. In many states (Maine included), adults can access Emergency Contraception over the counter at popular retailers such as Target or a local pharmacy.
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