Men Lack Awareness of Condoms' Variety

According to a new study, men are twice as likely to remove or lose a condom halfway through sex if it  doesn't fit well enough.

Photo: Men Lack Awareness of Condoms' Variety

Ill-fitting condoms not only make sex less fun, they also raise the risk of infection of diseases like AIDS and pregnancy, researchers say.

The poll, recounted in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, involved 436 men. Of those, 45 precent reported that their last sexual escapade involved a poor fitting piece.

120 men said condoms had reduced their own pleasure in sex, while 57 said it lessened it for their partner. 34 said they removed the condom prematurely, while 18 reported that it broke during sex.

These problems were far less common in men who had the right-fitting condom.

While the standard latex condom is made to fit most men, many different sizes and shapes exist to account for the variations in male members. The problem, say researchers, is that most men don’t know this variety exists. Additionally, men will often not buy condoms sized "small" or even "medium," they said.

Natika Halil, from sexual health charity FPA insists  that men, and women, need to take time to learn the skills needed to put a condom on properly.

New York Daily News has contributed to the report.