PRELIMINARY COMPARISON OF THE POLYURETHANE FEMALE CONDOM WITH THE LATEX MALE CONDOM IN KENYA

This paper summarizes acceptability data published todate on me innova tive female condom, and presents an additional study comparing the acc eptability of the female condom and the latex male condom in a sample of low risk women attending private obstetrician/ gynaecologists' clin ics in Nairobi Kenya. Eighty-four percent of all subjects who complete d interviewer-assisted questionnaires reported that they liked using t he female condom, and more than two-thirds of all the women liked the female condom as much or better than the male condom, Fifty-five perce nt of the women would use the device in future if it were available, T he least liked features were that the device was too large for easy in sertion, messy to handle, and reduced sensation, Use became easier and more comfortable with experience, The most liked features were that t he device made sex more enjoyable, protected against sexually transmit ted diseases and pregnancy, and was under the woman's control, Male pa rtner response was slightly less favourable, and sometimes resulted in women's noncompliance or discontinuation of use, despite the fact tha t such a device is supposed to empower women. This study provides prel iminary data indicating that the female condom is a fairly acceptable method for some Kenyan couples, but recommends further research into s afety, cost-effectiveness and hindrances to acceptability.