Men Choose Condom Size Based on Wishful Thinking

When it comes to having safe sex, preventing STDs and pregnancy, it's not enough to use a condom, it's important to use the condom correctly and to use the right condom type.

By

CondomFit

When it comes to having safe sex, preventing STDs and pregnancy, it's not enough to use a condom, it's important to use the condom correctly and to use the right condom type. The variety of condoms out there ensure that you can find the right one for you: polyurethane, latex or lambskin, ribbed or smooth, small or large or magnum.

Many men don't use the best condom for their needs, according to a new study. Some men use condoms that don't fit well, causing the condom to slip off during intercourse. This can have harmful consequences for both partners, resulting in pregnancy or STD infection and a loss in pleasure.

When used correctly, condoms are 98% effective at preventing pregnancy and infections. They are easy to use, relatively inexpensive and don't require a prescription. This may explain why the condom now rivals the birth control pill in popularity. But researchers at the University of Kentucky found that many men take condoms off half-way through intercourse because the condom doesn't fit correctly.

Out of 436 men participating in the survey,195 reported using an ill-fitting condom during their last sexual encounter. 34 of the 195 men who used a condom that didn't fit reported taking the condom off in the middle of intercourse, and 18 of them said the condom broke. Part of the problem, say researchers, is that men don't know the right size for them is out there or they refuse to buy condoms labeled small or medium. When it comes to protection from unwanted pregnancy and disease, it's important that men buy the condom that fits them, not the one they wish fit them. Condom size is also a concern in other countries, where men may not have as many options when it comes to condom varieties and sizes.