title: Does additional lubrication reduce condom failure?
abstract: It has been suggested that using additional spermicide with condoms provides added contraceptive effect and protection from infection, and that water-based lubricants may lower condom breakage rates. This questionnaire-based study investigated the use of additional lubrication with condoms amongst 525 female students presenting for post-coital contraception, and the current and past experience of condom and additional lubrication use amongst 481 controls attending the same health centre. Of those requesting post-coital contraception, 83% claimed condom failure as the cause, with 66% of the control group having also experienced condom failure at some time. Use of additional water-based lubrication was significantly associated with lower condom failure rates (odds ratio 8.88, 95% C.I.: 3.79, 20.8). Gender, regularity of use of condoms and using oil-based lubricants were not associated with higher failure rates. Additional lubricant use was not significantly associated with increased condom slippage.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University of Manchester, Rusholme Health Centre, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabbay
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gibbs
mesh_terms: D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008153:Lubrication; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012995:Solubility; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents; D014867:Water