Dear Friends,

You may have seen in recent news that some cities have been giving away the new and improved FC2 Female Condom® in an effort to raise awareness about the product, which gives women more control in protecting themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. New research is now showing that these female condom distribution programs are a successful AND cost-effective means of preventing new cases of HIV. Even more excitingly, manufacturer The Female Health Company has just announced that it will be beefing up its facilities for increased production in order to meet the high demand for FC2 expected in the near future.

In the excerpt below, NWHN Program Coordinator Keely Monroe delves deeper into the facts on FC2 and its future potential. Click here to read the entire article, fresh from the current issue of The Women’s Health Activist.


Put a Ring on It!

Cities around the country are making sure that more women stay healthy and sexy by telling them to “put a ring on it”! What type of ring, you may ask? We aren’t talking about the kind of ring Beyoncé warned men about in her song “Put a Ring on It;” we’re talking about the new and improved female condom.  

Female condoms are currently the only self-initiated barrier method option women have for preventing unwanted pregnancies and transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV — which makes them a critically important prevention tool for women.
 
Advocates have always known that female condoms have the potential to play an important role in promoting positive sexual health and preventing HIV and other STIs. But, they also know a lot of work was needed to overcome the original female condom’s bad reputation.
 
So, when the FC2 was released in the U.S., advocates grabbed the opportunity to gain new momentum in promoting the female condom. With funding from city and state health departments and from private philanthropic sources, five cities with high HIV/AIDS prevalence have launched creative and fun public education campaigns, drawing on lessons learned in other countries, to engage communities and increase both awareness and use. These cities are Chicago, Houston, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington DC. Campaigns are also scheduled for Atlanta and Baton Rouge.
 
Although the female condom may not have superstar rank among contraceptive methods yet, with innovative and engaging campaigns taking place around the country, it seems inevitable that female condoms will eventually reach the famed status they deserve!

If you're not already getting The Women's Health Activist, click here to find out how you can receive a one-year subscription by becoming a member of the National Women's Health Network. 

Thank you,


Cindy Pearson
Executive Director

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