( The use of female condoms appears to be...)Rise in Use of Female Condoms in South Africa,Health

The use of female condoms appears to be rising in South Africa, which has become its second largest market in the world.//

South Africa has among the highest incidence of HIV/Aids globally and the use of female condoms forms a focal point of government's national program of ABC abstinence, be faithful, condomise message, with distribution increasing from 1.3 million in 2001/02 to 2.6 million in 2004/05. For 2005/06 the target was to distribute three million female condoms.

Mags Beksinska, executive director of the Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit, at the University of Witwatersrand said, "I believe that its phased introduction over the years has gained momentum," Beksinska said that measurement of the impact of female condoms in the country was difficult because these changes needed to be measured in protected sex acts.

Figures have shown that in South Africa one in four women are HIV positive by the age of 24, which is twice the infection rate for men.

According to Beksinska the introduction of a new method of protection takes several years for general acceptance, and as a method available it has become known by over half of women of a reproductive age.

Eleanor Sopili, an HIV-positive Cape Town woman said that when she started using the female condom, it felt a "little bit funny". However she said, "But as you continue using it, there is no difference between that and the male condom."

Katy Pepper, African region program manager at the not-for-profit Female Health Foundation, said that the initial response to female condoms in the country was fairly good. At present barriers to the program include a lack of staff training, lack of promotional materials, lack of understanding, lack of access, and bias among medical staff.

The first generation female condom, FC1, is presently marketed as a strong, soft, transparent polyurethane sheath about 17 centimeters long, the same length as a male co
'"/>




Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Vitamin E supports Female Hearts
2. Genetic differences found between Male and Female brains
3. Female Smokers More Prone To Lung Cancer
4. The Success Rate Of Angioplasty In Female Patients Low
5. FDA Diminish Hopes On ‘Female Viagra
6. Have You Ever Wondered Why Male And Female Voices Differ?
7. Female Twins Have More To Share Than Just The Similarity: Risk Of Early Menopause
8. Hepatitis B A high cause of Asian Female Mortality
9. Female Condoms In The Offing
10. Sexual Harassment A Cause Of Deteriorating Health Among Female Flight Attendants.
11. The Chemistry Of Sexual Attraction Between Male And Female Elephants