REALITY VAGINAL CONDOM


Description: The Reality vaginal condom consists of a soft, loose-fitting polyurethane sheath and two flexible polyurethane rings. One of the rings lies inside at the closed end of the sheath and serves as an insertion mechanism and internal anchor. The other ring forms the external edge of the sheath and remains outside the vagina after insertion, protecting the labia and the base of the penis during intercourse. The condom lines the inner contours of the vagina. It is pre-lubricated and is intended for one-time use only. Like the male condom, the vaginal condom does not require fitting by a health care professional nor does it require precise placement over the cervix by the user.

Potential Advantages:
1. It is the first product which gives women the opportunity to help protect themselves from STDs and pregnancy
2. It provides broad coverage, covering the labia and the base of the penis, and providing greater protection against some STIs
3. Its polyurethane membrane is stronger than the latex membrane used in male condoms. It is soft and thin and resistant to oils, so that oil-based lubricants may be used with it.
4. It is less disruptive to the sex act because the woman may insert it several hours before use, and a male erection is not needed to remove the female condom.
5. The vaginal condom remains stable for up to five years in accelerated temperatures.
6. When compared to male condom, the probability of women being exposed to seminal fluid using the Reality condom was 3% and 11.6% when the male condom was used.
7. In direct examination of vagina following 74 episodes of intercourse by 15 women using the Reality condom, 0% sperm were observed.


Potential Disadvantages:
1. Cost: the female condom is at least 3 times as expensive as the male condom.
2. The outer ring hanging outside the vagina can be cumbersome.
3. The vaginal condom can make an odd noise during intercourse.
4. Women who are not used to inserting tampons or diaphragms, may have initial difficulty getting used to the insertion.

Can Transmit HIV
· Anal sex
· Blood transfusion of untested blood
· Sharing injection needles
· Blood entering mucus membrane
· Breastfeeding
· Mother to child during delivery
· Mother to child during pregnancy
· Semen to mucus membrane
· Vaginal secretions to mucus membrane
· Blood splattering the eye of a laboratory worker
· Cleaning up blood without using gloves
· Amniotic fluid entering an open sore of midwife
· Vaginal sex
· Oral sex
· Only having sex with your husband
· Only having sex with your wife
· Having unprotected sex only one time
· Having sex with a virgin

Cannot Transmit HIV
· Sitting on a seat where an HIV+ person has sat
· Riding on a bus with an HIV+ person
· Eating from the same dish as an HIV+ person
· Hugging a person living with AIDS
· Shaking hands with a person living with AIDS
· Sharing a drinking cup with an HIV+ person
· Letting someone cry on your shoulder
· Stepping on a nail outside
· Cleaning up vomit or diarrhea with gloves on
· Using the same restroom as an HIV+ person
· Being sneezed on by an HIV+ person
· Sharing a towel with an HIV positive person
· Being bitten by a mosquito that has bitten an HIV+ person
· Breathing the same air as an HIV+ person
· Being coughed on by someone who is HIV+
· Sharing a cigarette with someone who is HIV+
· Using the same soap as an HIV+ person
· Having sex with a goat

Introductory Skit
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Actors

Husband and Wife The wife remains faithful to the husband, and for themost
part, her husband remains faithful to her. In a moment of
weakness near the end of the skit, the husband “clinks
glasses” with the coy woman, after which he becomes
infected with HIV. Later, he passes the infection on to his
wife. Both begin with water in their glasses, and end the
skit with coffee mixed into the water.

“Partying Man” This man actively seeks sex with all the women in the skit.
He begins the skit with coffee in his glass.

HIV+ woman This woman begins the skit with coffee in her glass, but
refuses to clink glasses with anyone in the skit. She is
approached often by the “partying man” and is given
some attention by the abstinent man, but refuses to engage
with either of them.

Abstinent Man This man seems interested in the ladies, smiling and chatting
with them, but he never clinks glasses.

Female Sex Worker Although she clinks glasses often with the partying man she
always uses a condom. She is seen to clink glasses and
exchange money, but she never exchanges fluid.

“Coy” woman This woman appears to be very shy, and rejects the advances
partying man repeatedly. Finally she shares fluid with the
partying man and then goes back to her shy behavior, until
she finally shares fluid again with the husband.


This skit is performed silently, with all actors gathered in the front of the room. Every few moments, one of the actors engages with another, before going back to his or her position. The actors may sometimes clink glasses (which represents having sex) and may sometimes clink glasses and exchange fluids (which represents having unprotected sex). Having coffee in one’s glass represents having HIV in the bloodstream. During rehearsal we will determine the natural order of the movements, but by the end, everyone but the sex worker and the abstinent man will have some coffee in their glasses.