Recommendations for Contraceptive Use
		Barrier Methods

Recommendations	Rationale
a) Male condoms should not be re-used.	a) The re-use of male condoms cannot be recommended until further research is completed. Anecdotal reports suggest that re-use of male condoms is associated with higher breakage rates. The latex membranes are generally not strong enough to withstand repeated stretching, friction and cleaning. Steiner M, Piedrahita C, Glover L, Joanis C. Can condom users likely to experience condom failure be identified? Family Planning Perspectives 1993;25:220-3,226.
b) Studies are underway, but currently re-use of female condoms is not recommended.	b) The re-use of female condoms is not currently recommended, pending further research. However, anecdotal reports from acceptability studies show that a minority of women use female condoms more than once. Re-use has not been associated with higher breakage rates; female condom breakage is rare in general. Research is currently under way to determine whether re-use reduces the structural strength of the device (increases breakage) and/or increases the risk of communicating sexually transmitted diseases.

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.