Preventivmedel barriärmetoder

Vad är barriärpreventivmedel?

Barriärpreventivmedel gör precis vad orden antyder. De ger en fysisk barriär mellan spermierna och ägget. Om spermier förhindras från att möta ett ägg kan de inte börja skapa en bebis.

Vilka typer av barriärpreventivmedel finns det?

Det finns tre breda grupper av barriärpreventivmedel:

• Kondomer (also known as sheaths). These are placed on the man's penis before having sex. This stops the semen entering the woman's vagina. Read about kondomer - their pros and cons, how effective they are, where to get them, and how to use them.

• Kvinnliga kondomer. These are put inside the vagina, and form a barrier to the sperm during sex. Read about kondomer för kvinnor.

• Diafragmor och pessar. These are dome-shaped devices which are put right at the top of the vagina before having sex. They are rather more solid than female condoms, with a firmer ring at the edge. Most types come in specific sizes, and you need to see a health professional to determine the right size for you. Read about pessar och mössor.

Varför skulle jag välja barriärpreventivmedel?

All types of contraception have pros and cons. You have to weigh up each option and figure out which is best for you personally. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of barrier method are laid out in the specific leaflets linked above. Broadly speaking, barrier methods are not as effective as many other methods, and you have to remember to use them at the time when you are having sex. On the plus side, they have few side-effects or medical risks. Some of the options have the added advantage of protection against sexuellt överförbara infektioner and possibly also protect against livmoderhalscancer (cervix). Se de enskilda broschyrerna för detaljer.

För en lista över alla typer av preventivmedel som finns tillgängliga, se även det separata informationsbladet som heter Preventivmetoder.