Internal (or female) condoms

Hormones

No hormones

Mood/Emotions

No effect on mood

STIs

Protects against STIs

Visibility

Only people involved in the sexual activity will see it

Periods

Periods will stay the same

Lasts for

Single use

Acne/Skin

Skin will stay the same

Preventing pregnancy

More than 95% effective if used without mistakes

Starting on this method

Can get them for free from some sexual health services and GPs or buy them from pharmacies, shops or online.

Maintenance

Use a new one each time you have sex

You can get latex-free internal condoms if you are allergic to latex.

Internal condoms line the vagina and protect against unwanted pregnancy by stopping the sperm contained in semen coming into contact with a vagina (which could lead to an egg being fertilised).

They also stop sexual fluids being transferred between partners which provides protection against STIs.

Internal condoms are not always available at every contraception and sexual health clinic and can be more expensive to buy than other condoms.

You can get free condoms from Brook services, young people’s services, contraception clinics, GUM clinics and some GP surgeries.

You may also be able to get free condoms from a local C-Card provider. The C-Card scheme allows you to pick up free condoms from local outlets like pharmacies, youth services and shops.

You can also buy condoms from pharmacies, supermarkets, vending machines in public toilets and online.

Under 16?
There is no age restriction on buying or accessing free condoms. You can still access condoms in the same ways as anyone else.

Embarrassed about buying internal condoms?

If you go to a service to get condoms, you will usually have a private consultation where they will ask you a few questions and they may show you how to use condoms.

If it’s easier, go to a clinic with a friend or a partner. Bringing up the subject of condoms when you’re about to have sex can be tricky. Get some tips for talking about it in advance with our page on talking about condoms.

You can start using internal condoms whenever and you only need to use them when you are having sex

After pregnancy

You can get pregnant from as little as three weeks after giving birth and from two weeks after an abortion of miscarriage
You can use internal condoms whenever you are ready to have sex.

When used correctly internal condoms are 95% effective at protecting against pregnancy.

1. Before opening, feel for the internal condom inside the packaging and push it to the side so that when you tear it open you don’t tear the condom as well
2. Take the condom out of its packet and making sure there are no rips in it
3. Lie or squat down
4. Separate the labia (the lips of the vagina) with one hand
5. At the closed end of the condom, squeeze the flexible inner ring (this stays inside the condom) between your thumb and finger, making it long and narrow and gently insert it into the vagina as far as it will go
6. Make sure that the large ring at the open end of the female condom covers the area around the vaginal opening
7. Gently push the squeezed ring of the condom into the vagina as far as it will go
8. Now with your middle finger gently push the inner ring as far up into the vagina as you can so that it rests just above the pubic bone. The outer ring should hang outside the body
9. Don’t worry if the condom is a bit loose – that’s how it’s meant to be
10. Make sure the penis enters into the condom, not between the condom and the side of the vagina, it can help if you guide the penis into the vagina
11. After sex twist the outer ring of the condom to keep any semen inside the condom and gently pull it out
12. Wrap the condom in tissue and throw it in the bin (don’t flush it down the toilet)
13. It’s a good idea to put the condom in before the penis touches the vagina or genital area
14. You can put the condom in when you are lying down, squatting or with one leg on a chair. It’s worth experimenting with putting the condom in to find the position that suits you best

Accidents happen and if the condom has broken, split, slipped out or you’re worried it was used incorrectly, don’t panic. Use our Find a service tool to find your local sexual health service where you can have a quick, simple and painless test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and emergency contraception if there is a risk of unwanted pregnancy.