Recommendations for Contraceptive Use
		Barrier Methods

Recommendations

Rationale

a) Male condoms should be put on after erection and before genital and/or anal contact. b) The female condom should be put into place any time before the penis touches the vagina in order to prevent exposure to pre-ejaculate and semen.

a-b) Although viable sperm are generally absent from pre-ejaculatory fluid, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is present in the pre-ejaculate of HIV-positive men. Thus the pre-ejaculate may transmit disease, and the condom should be in place before genital contact occurs. Ilaria G, Jacobs JL, Polsky B, Koll B, Baron P, MacLow C, et al. Detection of HIV-1 DNA sequences in pre-ejaculatory fluid (letter). Lancet 1992;340:1469. Pudney J, Oneta M, Mayer K, Seage G III, Anderson D. Pre-ejaculatory fluid as potential vector for sexual transmission of HIV-1 (letter). Lancet 1992;340:1470.

Any part of Recommendations for Updating Selected Practices in Contraceptive Use may be reproduced or adapted to meet local needs without prior permission from the TG/CWG Secretariat, provided the TG/CWG is acknowledged and the material is made available free of charge or at cost.