Gel condom to empower women

[clear]

Gel condom to empower women
17:57 11 August 2009 by Andy Coghlan

A new gel could make a "vaginal condom" that would physically entrap semen and anything it contains, including sperm and viruses such as HIV.

Article Here:

Gel condom to empower women - health - 11 August 2009 - New Scientist

Ciao-

T.D.

 

[Sassy]

Interesting - thanks, T.D.!

 

[Principessa]

A new gel could make a "vaginal condom" that would physically entrap semen and anything it contains, including sperm and viruses such as HIV.
The gel is liquid as long as it is in contact with the acidity that is normal in a vagina, but will turn solid when it encounters semen, which is slightly alkaline. Any particles wider than 50 nanometres – including sperm, HIV and other viruses such as the herpes virus and the papilloma virus, which causes cervical cancer – are trapped, so the gel could double up as both a protectant and a contraceptive.
Patrick Kiser, whose team developed the gel at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, says that the objective is to give women in countries where HIV is rife a cheap way to protect themselves from viruses and pregnancy even if their partner is unwilling to wear a condom.

"We did it to develop technologies that can enable women to protect themselves against HIV without the approval of their partner," says Kiser, whose team has only tested the gel in the lab so far.

A solid? Is a gel now considered a solid? I tend to think of solids as being less viscous.

How is this 'stuff' inserted or applied to the vaginal canal? How much advance time does it need to 'gel up' ? I'm thinking unless applied daily one would never have time to use it prior to being raped.

In theory this is a good idea but I don't see it working in practice. :no:

 

[clear]

No problem luvthembig

Just glad I could share.

njqt466 - To kinda answer your first question, gels are technically solids. However they are more of a jelly-like material, with properties that range from being soft and viscus- as you implied -to hard and tough to the touch, etc. In the context of this article, the initial state of the gel is more akin to a thick cream or "hair gel" type of substance (which is quite spreadable and soft to the touch). Actually, hair gel is a good comparison.

Hair gel starts out as a soft malleable cream like substance in its original form, and within its original container. But once applied to hair- and or when allowed to dry -it hardens into a more plastic or rather "firmer" form of its original self (which sometimes causes the infamous flaking and dandruff look some people have when they use too much of it, lol).

Now the gel mentioned in this article is similar to the above mention hair gel; with the major exception that, it does not "dry" out or become "solid" while in the natural acidic environment of the vagina (it remains a gel). It only becomes solid when an alkaline chemical makes contact with it. In this case; male semen. That is what makes this substance so awesome. A woman could apply it during her normal morning- or daily -feminine hygiene routine(s), and also be protecting herself in the process.

I do not think the author implied this gel should be used only in the case of an impeding- or dare I say occurring -rape; that would be kind of silly and counterintuitive. However, it does make more sense if used as another tool in a womans arsenal to help combat infection and or an unwanted pregnancy. If applied regularly, and irrespective of sexual activity, this gel makes for a very potent failsafe mechanism when:

1. A condom is not used or readably available

2. To help prevent the spread of disease, infection and or pregnancy.

I hope this helps. Anny comments are welcome.

Regards,

T.D.

Ciao-

 

[StraightCock4Her]

This is why africans should just discover sticking it in women's pooper.

 

[MickeyLee]

thank you so much for posting this article. :smile:

i hope this gel would be readily available *OTC or handed out at no cost* in countries like africa, thailand, and india ; where women don't have as many options for birth control or HIV protection. some of the most successful programs for preventing the spread of HIV in those countries have focused on teaching women to insist on condoms in sexual relationships with their partners. a preventative gel would something a women could use at her own discression and might not have the same stigma of demanding condoms *often women are accused of infedelity, an offense that is still punishable by death in some places* the added bonus of preventing unwanted pregnancies would be invaluable.

in america the side effects of hormone birth control, not to mention the access to medical services to women with limited incomes *for instance medicaid and medicare do not cover BC pills* put women at a serious disadvantage in family planning and at a higher risk for HIV.

i volunteer with a couple of out reach programs working with homeless youth and sex workers, lots of times condoms are not on hand or customers will insist on not using condoms... being able to protect yourself and have absolute control over your choices would change so many women's lives.

as far as rape, in some places where rape is epidemic, i don't see women objecting to using the cream/gel daily.

i'm guessing appilcation would be something like spermicidal foams? or maybe even a contreceptive gel sheets.

*has fingers crossed a working version of this hits the market a.s.a.p.*

i'll pass on the link to all my feminist actvist dyke posse.

 

[trackdude]

in countries like africa

And the Iraq? Sorry I had to :tongue:

 

[MickeyLee]

any country where sexual autonomy and public health is second hat to dogma or a caste system would qualify.