ABUJA: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says the use of female condoms will boost the reproductive health of women.

Its Deputy Representative in Nigeria, Dr Bannet Ndyanabangi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) here Thursday that the new female condom being introduced would provide overall health enhancement for women.

He said the female condom was also a tool in the hands of a woman which she could control without discussing it or negotiating with the man.

"A woman will be able to protect her body against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) without waiting for the male to approve its use," he added.

Ndyanabangi also noted that the female condom was one of the best birth control methods for women, but added that it was relatively new compared with the male condom.

He said the female condom faced some initial challenges as the women complained of its size, the noise generated during sexual intercourse and the discomfort in wearing it.

"Indeed, there were attempts to ensure that female condoms were available but women were not using them. At present, there are new female condoms in the market acceptable to women as they are safe, simple and convenient," he said. 

Ndyanabangi observed that male condoms were used more frequently than the female condoms, and stressed the need to create more awareness and accessibility to the products.


- Bernama