It can be used without a spermicide. Like the diaphragm, cervical cap and sponge, it can be inserted well before intercourse, although it may not be comfortable to do so. It covers the external female genitalia. While that feature may offer better STD protection, many couples find this unappealing. It is a commonly cited reason for discontinuing use of the device.
Some users complain that it is noisy during use.
During vigorous use, it may be pushed into the vagina. Though very rare, female condom breakage was reported in about 1 percent of devices used in one clinical trial. What people like or do not like Over six years, FHI has evaluated the acceptability of the female condom among diverse populations. The most frequent complaints were not liking the inner ring and movement of the device during use. There were few insertion-related complaints, although some women said that it took more than one attempt to get used to inserting the condom.