Male circumcision, female condom reduce HIV infection risk
The Manilla Times, April 7, 2001
By Henrylito D. Tacio
Male circumcision—the removal of all or part of the foreskin of
the male sexual organ—may reduce HIV infection risk by
approximately 50 percent.
In sub-Saharan, where most studies have been done, male circumcision
is "statistically associated with a reduced rate of HIV
infection," according to Washington-based Population Council, Inc.
As such, male circumcision is seen as a "potential new
intervention for reducing HIV incidence." This is particularly true in sub-
Saharan, where HIV/AIDS has become a major public health problem of
almost unmanageable proportions.
Unfortunately, little is known about the acceptability, feasibility,
safety, and cost-effectiveness of male circumcision in different
parts of sub-Saharan Africa, especially among uncircumcised
populations, among whom the introduction of male circumcision has the
greatest potential impact.
Research also suggests that the protective effect against HIV
infection is most pronounced if the procedure is done before the
onset of sexual activity. It has been reported that in most parts of
sub-Saharan Africa, circumcision is typically done as part of
initiation to manhood rites, at ages ranging from 10 to 20 years or
even older.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that male circumcision is perceived in
some areas of the region as protective against HIV infection, and has
even been referred to as the "invisible condom."
This alarms the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. "Perceptions of
protection (among circumcised men) may lead to increased risk
behaviors, including reduced condom use," the alliance points
out.
"Any male circumcision intervention should include HIV prevention
education, counseling and behavioral change interventions, and
sustained promotion of condom use," it suggests.
Speaking of condom, the female condom has also been found to reduce
the risk of HIV transmission. "The use of barrier methods like
female condom is one of the few behavioral strategies that women can
adopt to protect themselves against the sexual transmission of
HIV," says the Population Services International (PSI).
With female condom, women said that there are no longer forced to
rely on the male controlled methods of contraception. Manufacturers
insist that the condom is as efficient and effective as its male
counterpart "when used correctly."
The female condom is a strong, soft sheath that is inserted into the
A study conducted in Thailand among sex workers in brothels showed
that when a female condom was provided as an extra option to the male
condom, the women experienced a 34-percent decrease in the number of
new STIs.
The same study also found that sex workers who had access to both the
female and male condoms were less likely to have unprotected sex than
women who had access only to male condoms.
Several studies done in Africa, Latin America and Asia showed that
once women try the female condom, they like it. In a Thai study,
four out of five sex workers who agreed to try a female condom said
they were satisfied and would use it again. In Zimbabwe, more than
three-fourths of married and single women say they would use the
female condom again, compared with 54.7 percent of married women.
female sexual organ before sexual intercourse. It has two plastic
rings: one at the close end, which helps insert the condom and keep
it in place, and the other at the open end, which remains outside the
vagina.
According to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS),
the female condom can be inserted quite a while before having sex and
does not require immediate withdrawal after ejaculation.
The UNAIDS reminds that female condom is not meant to replace the
male condom. "Rather, it is meant to increase the options
available to fight HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
(STIs)," the UN agency says.