Condoms
Is "safer sex" safe enough?
If you’ve ever read the back of a condom box, you may have noticed a statement that says condoms are “highly effective against pregnancy” and “may help reduce the risk of catching or spreading many STDs.”
What does “highly effective” mean, and how much risk do condoms take away?
According to a 2004 World Health Organization bulletin and a 2001 report from the National Institutes of Health, individual studies have demonstrated that condom use reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infection by the following amounts:1
STD |
Risk Reduction in Women |
Risk Reduction in Men |
|---|---|---|
| HIV | 85% |
85% |
| Gonorrhea | 39%-62% |
49%-75% |
| Chlamydia | 26%-90% |
33% |
| Genital Herpes | 30%-92% |
(numbers unavailable) |
| Trichomoniasis | 30% |
(numbers unavailable) |
| Syphilis | 40%-60% |
40%-60% |
| Chancroid | 18%-23% |
18%-23% |
In 2002 the Medical Institute for Sexual Health published a document entitled, “Sex, Condoms and STDs: What We Now Know.” It was a comprehensive scientific review of the science on condom effectiveness. The Medical Institute estimated that consistent condom use for vaginal sex reduces a person’s risk of infection as follows:2
STDs |
Risk Reduction |
|---|---|
| HIV | 85% |
| Gonorrhea | about 50% |
| Chlamydia | about 50% |
| Genital Herpes | about 50% |
| Syphilis | about 50% |
| HPV | less than 50% |
The question people have to ask themselves is: “Is that safe enough?” People who consistently use condoms still have a high relative risk of infection.
In contrast, abstinence is 100% safe. It guarantees protection against STDs and unwanted pregnancy. It encourages couples to develop healthy relationships that are not simply based on sex. And it promotes faithful lifelong relationships (marriage), because sex is viewed as an expression of enduring love and commitment.
Related topics:
Read more about the benefits of abstinence
Read more about STDs
Footnotes:
- Kaiser Network, "Condoms' Effectiveness in Preventing STDs, Including HIV, at Center of Debate on Revising Package Labels," June 30, 2005. Retrieved Jan. 2007 from http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=1&DR_ID=31098.
- The Medical Institute, "The Facts About Sexually Transmitted Infections," n.d. Retrieved Jan. 2007 from http://www.medinstitute.org/content.php?name=stifacts.
The information on this website is for general educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional counseling. If your situation is an emergency, please call 911.