According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health , discussions between mothers and their adolescent children about condoms have an effect on teens' behavior. This study found that mother-adolescent discussions about condoms before teens' first experience of sexual intercourse greatly increased their condom use, not just for their first sexual experience but for subsequent ones as well. This study provides proof that parents are in a unique position to engage their teens in discussions about STI and pregnancy prevention, and furthermore, that teens are influenced by their parents when it comes to using protection. How to Use Condoms Using a condom correctly is more complicated than it may seem. There are many ways to get it wrong.
Several websites offer complete information and directions for using condoms.
There is no evidence that condoms lubricated with spermicide offer better protection from disease or pregnancy than condoms without spermicide. Recent studies have found that N-9 can cause irritation for some people. Ironically, this can put users at greater risk for exposure to STIs, so N-9 is no longer advised for use by many experts. Some condom packages warn about latex allergy, which causes redness, itching and swelling. More and more communities have been prompted by increasing STI rates to take action to protect their youth.