Condoms (female)

Internal condoms, sometimes called female condoms, help prevent pregnancy and reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

An internal condom is made of thin, soft plastic or rubber. You put it inside the vagina or anus before having sex.

Internal condoms are up to 95% effective at preventing pregnancy if you use them correctly every time you have sex.

• How to use it?

  You can insert an internal condom up to 8 hours before sex.

  • Open the packet carefully so you do not damage the condom. Do not use your teeth.
  • Hold the inner ring and insert the condom into the vagina.
  • Put a finger into the condom and push it as far into the vagina as you can.
  • Make sure the outer ring stays outside the vagina.
  • During sex, make sure the penis goes inside the condom.
  • After sex, twist the outer ring a few times to prevent semen leaking out when you remove the condom.
  • Always put used internal condoms in the bin, not the toilet.
• Advantages
  • When used correctly for vaginal sex, internal condoms help protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • When used correctly for anal sex, internal condoms may help protect against STIs, but there’s not enough evidence to say how much protection they offer
• Disadvantages

  If not used correctly they’re 79% effective, which means around 1 in 5 women who use internal condoms for a year will get pregnant.

  Do not use latex condoms if:

  • you have a latex allergy;
  • you’re using antifungal medicine on or around your anus, vulva and vagina, or penis and testicles.
• C-Card scheme for young people (free condoms and lubricants)

  Condoms and lubricants are available for free for young people aged 16-25 years.  The C-Card initiative aims to ensure that young people are safe and informed when it comes to their sexual health and have all the practical support they need.

  What is C-Card?

  

  The C-Card (Condom Distribution) scheme is a confidential sexual health service for young people aged 16 – 25 years in Northern Ireland. The scheme provides free condoms, lubricants, information support and advice at convenient times and in a variety of locations across local communities.

  What happens when you attend a local C-Card provider?

  • Registration: when you attend one of the local C-Card provider sites you will be registered for a C-Card. This includes being shown how to use a condom.
  • Issue: once the C-Card is issued, you are entitled to an agreed number of free supplies from any participating Registration Site. Packs generally contain six to ten condoms, a supply of lubricant, written instructions, and details of local sexual and reproductive health services.
  • Review: after receiving supplies an agreed number of times, the young person must return to a Registration Site where their sexual health circumstances will be reviewed.

  BELFAST (BHSCT)

  Doyle Youth Club
  29 Mountpottinger Road
  Belfast BT5 4LA
  Email: joe.ferris@eani.org.uk

  HYPE – Hype Team
  Ground Floor
  Shankill Well-Being & Treatment Centre
  83 Shankill Road
  Belfast BT13 1FD
  Email: marguerite.mcconvey@belfasttrust.hscni.net
  Ciara.Morgan@belfasttrust.hscni.net
  gemma.maguire@belfasttrust.hscni.net
  Telephone: 028 9504 4004

  North Belfast Youth Resource Centre
  97 Woodvale Road
  Belfast BT13 3BP
  Email: sarahlouise.harper@eani.org.uk

  NORTHERN (NHSCT)

  CAFRE Greenmount Campus
  45 Tirgracy Road
  Antrim BT41 4PS
  Email: fionnula.mccourt@daera-ni.gov.uk

  CAFRE Loughry Campus
  76 Dungannon Road
  Cookstown BT80 9AE
  Email: judith.mullan@daera-ni.gov.uk

  Carrick YMCA
  YMCA Carrickfergus
  30-34 Irish Quarter West
  Carrickfergus BT38 8AT
  Email Sarah or Cormac: info@carrickymca.org
  Telephone: 028 9335 5890

  Northern Regional College
  Leo Meenan
  Northern Regional College
  22 Moneymore Road
  Magherafelt BT45 6AE
  Email: leo.meenan@nrc.ac.uk
  Telephone: 02879 63 24 62

  Northern Regional College
  Seán Fisher (Student Services)
  Northern Regional College
  Union Street, Coleraine BT52 1QA
  Email: sean.fisher@nrc.ac.uk
  Telephone: 0333 034 8197

  Start 360
  Start360
  2-6 Wellington Street
  Ballymena BT43 6AE
  Email: info@start360.org
  Telephone: 028 2568 9356

  SOUTH EASTERN (SEHSCT)
  

  North Down YMCA
  YMCA North Down
  10-12 High Street
  Bangor, BT20 5AY
  Email: info@northdownymca.org
  anna@northdownymca.org
  Telephone: 028 9145 4290

  Resurgam Healthy Living Centre
  Resurgam Healthy Living Centre
  69 Drumbeg Drive
  Lisburn BT28 1QJ
  Email: gillian.lewis@resurgamtrust.co.uk
  clare.parker@resurgamtrust.co.uk
  Telephone: 028 9267 0755

  Simon Community
  41-45 Central Avenue
  Bangor, BT20 3AW
  Email: adelemcburney@simoncommunity.org
  nataliabrannigan@simoncommunity.org
  wendymccabe@simoncommunity.org
  Telephone: 028 9146 9223

  SOUTHERN (SHSCT)

  Futureproof NI
  Futureproof NI
  Youth Engagement Service
  3 Enville Court
  Banbridge BT32 4AX
  Email: lucinda@futureproofni.org
  michael@futureproofni.org
  Shauney@futureproofni.org
  Telephone: 028 4062 4511

  Magnet
  Magnet Young Adult Centre,
  Youth Engagement Service,
  81A Hill Street, Newry, BT34 1DG
  Email: yes.magnetyac@gmail.com
  Telephone: 028 3026 9070

  Southern Health Hub
  Across all FE campuses in the Southern Area
  The Health Hub | Southern Health & Social Care Trust (hscni.net)
  Email: Health.Hub@southerntrust.hscni.net
  Telephone: 077 8743 2845

  Southern Regional College
  7 Lonsdale Road
  Armagh BT61 7JX
  Email: mcconvillea@src.ac.uk
  Telephone: 0300 123 1223

  Southern Health & Social Care Trust
  Available within two
  service areas in SHSCT at present. If you, or a young person you work with, would like to avail of the scheme and are getting support from either the SHSCT Family Nurse Partnership or SHSCT 16+ team, please get in touch.
  Telephone: 028 3756 4632

  Children in Care (Specialist Nurse for Looked After Children)
  Telephone: 028 30832252

  Youth Justice Agency
  Youth Justice Agency
  15a Castlewellan Road
  Banbridge, BT32 4AX
  Email: Catriona.Cullen@justice-ni.gov.uk
  bernadette.McDowell@justice-ni.gov.uk
  Telephone: 028 4062 1043

  WESTERN (WHSCT)

  CAFRE Enniskillen Campus
  Levaghy
  Enniskillen BT74 4GF
  Email: michelle.mckenna@daera-ni.gov.uk
  michelle.bradley@daera-ni.gov.uk

  North West Regional College
  North West Regional College
  Strand Rd
  Derry/Londonderry BT48 7AL
  Email: Fiona.McCallion@nwrc.ac.uk
  Shannon.Doherty@nwrc.ac.uk
  Telephone: 028 7127 6000

  North West Youth Service
  North West Youth Service
  Youth Engagement Service
  Our Space, 35 Shipquay Street
  Derry BT48 6DL
  Email: Danielle.yes@nwys.ie
  Peter.yes@nwys.ie
  Noel.yes@nwys.ie
  Telephone: 077 5485 6792

  The Find Centre
  The FIND Centre
  27c East Bridge Street
  Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, BT74 7BW
  Email: info@thefindcentre.com
  Telephone: 028 6632 5559