Barrier methods are not yet out of fashion! In spite of well-known disadvantages, they all (notably condoms) provide useful protection against STIs. All users of this type of method should be informed about EC, in case of lack of use or failure in use. Vegetable- and oil-based lubricants, and the bases for many prescribable vaginal products, can seriously damage and lead to rupture of rubber: baby oil destroys up to 95% of a condom’s strength within 15 minutes. Beware ad hoc use of, or contamination by, substances from the kitchen or bathroom cupboard! Water-based products such as KY Jelly,. | Other reversible methods BARRIER METHODS Barrier methods are not yet out of fashion In spite of well-known disadvantages they all notably condoms provide useful protection against STIs. All users of this type of method should be informed about EC in case of lack of use or failure in use. Vegetable- and oil-based lubricants and the bases for many prescribable vaginal products can seriously damage and lead to rupture of rubber baby oil destroys up to 95 of a condom s strength within 15 minutes. Beware ad hoc use of or contamination by substances from the kitchen or bathroom cupboard Water-based products such as KY Jelly and also glycerine and silicone lubricants are not suspect. The box on p. 135 lists some common vaginal preparations that should be regarded as unsafe to use with rubber condoms and diaphragms - and there may be others. This problem does not affect plastic condoms such as Avanti and Ez-On see below . However there is no evidence that either of these is any less likely to rupture for mechanical reasons. Male and female sterilization - especially the former which is more effective -are useful options for some couples but are not within the remit of this particular book. 134 Preparations unsafe to use with Arachis oil Baby oil Canesten Bayer Cyclogest Shire Pharmaceuticals Dalacin cream Pharmacia Upjohn E45 and similar emollients Ecostatin Bristol-Myers Squibb Gyno-Daktarin Janssen-Cilag rubber condoms or diaphragms Gyno-Pevaryl Janssen-Cilag Lomexin Akita Nizoral Janssen Cilag Nystan cream Bristol-Myers Squibb pessaries okay Ortho-Gynest Janssen-Cilag Organon laboratories Petroleum Jelly Sultrin Janssen-Cilag Vaseline Elida Faberge Witepsol-based preparations Condoms Condoms are the only proven barrier to transmission of HIV -yet at the time of writing it still remains impossible in the UK for most couples to obtain this life-saver free of charge from every GP. Condoms are second in usage to the Pill among those under the age of 30 and to sterilization
