title: Awareness of female condoms and failures reported with two different types in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore knowledge and use of female condoms in China, and to compare four modes of failure between the Phoenurse female condom (PFC) and the second-generation Femidom female condom (FC2).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized, crossover trial, sexually active women aged 20-49years who attended a family planning service in Qingdao, China, were recruited between April and October, 2013. A computer-generated randomized sequence was used to assign participants (1:1) to group A (used 10 PFCs followed by 10 FC2s) or group B (used 10 FC2s followed by 10 PFCs). Study investigators and participants were masked to allocation. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline and after using the two types of FCs. They also kept coital logs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 30 (10.3%) of 290 participants understood female condoms, but only 1 (0.3%) had ever used one. Total failure rates were 3.6% (420/11 578) and 2.3% (265/11 594) for PFC and FC2, respectively (P<0.001). Slippage was the most common form of failure, affecting 6.9% of PFC uses and 5.0% of FC2 uses. Breakage, misdirection, and slippage were significantly more common with the PFC than with the FC2 (P≤0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding of female condoms is poor in China. Failure is more common with the PFC than with the FC2.
authors.affiliation: Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Social Work Department, China Women's University, Beijing, China; Social Medicine Center, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xianmi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Control, Wuhan Third Hospital, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Maomao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lifeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Huangdao Family-planning Service Station, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Huangdao Family-planning Service Station, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Social Medicine Center, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China. Electronic address: cymcp@sina.com.
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D019111:Single-Use Internal Condom / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chinese women; Failure; Female condom