home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Path: bloom-beacon.mit.edu!nic.hookup.net!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!destroyer!news.cic.net!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!utcsri!newsflash.concordia.ca!sifon!homer.cs.mcgill.ca!superdj
- From: superdj@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca (David Johnson)
- Newsgroups: alt.sex,alt.answers,news.answers
- Subject: [alt.sex] FAQ (4/4)
- Followup-To: alt.sex
- Date: 15 Feb 1994 04:50:50 GMT
- Organization: SOCS - McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Lines: 851
- Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
- Expires: 5 Apr 1994
- Message-ID: <2jpkba$n7a@homer.cs.mcgill.ca>
- NNTP-Posting-Host: binkley
- Summary: frequently asked questions for alt.sex
- Keywords: Parts c7-3 to End.
- Originator: superdj@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca
- Originator: superdj@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca
- Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu alt.sex:54116 alt.answers:1838 news.answers:15200
-
- Archive-name: alt-sex/faq/part4
- Last-modified: 14 Feb 1994
-
- c7-3. The major sexually transmitted disease (STDs) and their
- symptoms (Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Genital Herpes, AIDS,
- Pubic Lice (Crabs), Nonspecific Urethritis (NSU),
- Hepatitis B are covered.)
-
- From: mf2x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Raymond Feely)
- Date: 13 Oct 91 01:35:57 GMT
-
- All information is courtesy of "On Sex and Human Loving", Masters
- and Johnson Copyright 1985. All typos are mine, but sadly, this
- newsreader doesn't have a spell checker on it. Further info on
- the development times and the percentage of asymptomatic cases of
- AIDS would be appreciated...
-
- Gonorrhea
- ---------
-
- Transmission: Intercourse, fellatio, anal sex, cunnilingus,
- kissing (infrequently) Women run a roughly
- 50% chance of contracting the disease after
- one session of intercourse, men 20-25%.
-
- MALE Symptoms: Yellowish discharge from the penis. Painful,
- frequent urination. Symptoms develop from two
- to thirty days after infection. Roughly 10%
- of men have no symptoms.
- Later stages of the infection may move into
- the prostate, seminal vesicles, and
- epididymis, causing severe pain and fever.
- Untreated, gonorrhea can lead to sterility in
- a small minority of cases.
-
- UPDATE: Traditionally, gonorrhea in the male was
- thought to be a symptomatic disease as
- described above. More recently it has been
- recognized that a significant number of males
- have asymptomatic gonorrhea. As asymptomatic
- infections can lead to the same complications
- as symptomatic infections and can be
- transmitted in the same way, it is important
- for men to realize that an exposure needs to
- be investigated whether or not there are
- symptoms. Also, a complication of gonorrhea
- not mentioned above is septic arthritis
- (infected joint). While the infection itself
- is easy to treat, this can severely damage
- the involved joint (often the knee) leading
- to a permanent disability.
-
- FEMALE Symptoms: Under half of women with gonorrhea show no
- symptoms, or symptoms so mild they are
- commonly ignored. Early symptoms include
- increased vaginal discharge, irritation of
- the external genitals, pain or burning on
- urination and abnormal menstrual bleeding.
- Women who are untreated may develop severe
- complications. The infection will usually
- spread to the uterus, Fallopian tubes, and
- ovaries, causing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- (PID). PID, though not only caused by
- gonorrhea, is the most common cause of female
- infertility. Early symptoms of PID are lower
- abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, and
- pain during intercourse.
-
- Syphilis
- --------
-
- Transmission: Nominally sexual contact, but can be
- transmitted by blood transfusion or from an
- infected pregnant woman to her fetus.
-
- Symptoms:
-
- PRIMARY STAGE: A chancre sore develops at the site of
- infection from two to four weeks after
- infection has occurred. The chancre is
- painless 75% of the time. The chancre starts
- as a dull red spot, turns into a pimple,
- which ulcerates, forming a round or oval sore
- with a red rim. The sore heals in 4-6 weeks -
- however, the infection is still present. The
- chancre is usually found on the genitals or
- anus, but can appear on any part of the skin.
-
- SECOND STAGE: One week to six months after the chancre
- heals. Pale red or pinkish rash appears
- (often on palms or soles) fever, sore throat,
- headaches, joint pains, poor appetite, weight
- loss, hair loss. Moist sores may appear
- around the genitals or anus and are highly
- infectious. Symptoms usually last three to
- six months, but can come and go.
-
- LATENT STAGE: No apparent symptoms, and the carrier is no
- longer contagious. However, the organism is
- insinuating itself into the host's tissues.
- 50 to 70 percent of carriers pass the rest of
- their lives without the disease leaving this
- stage. The reminder pass into Third Stage
- syphilis.
-
- THIRD STAGE: Serious heart problems, eye problems, brain
- and spinal cord damage, with a high
- probability of paralysis, insanity, blindness
- or death.
-
- From: (anonymous)
-
- While all of the symptoms mentioned are possible (as well as
- others), it usually manifests with a limited number of these
- symptoms at any one time (often just one). In the past, syphilis
- was known as the great imitator because it could resemble almost
- any known illness (It was said that "To know syphilis was to know
- medicine.") Modern diagnostic techniques now make this a much
- simpler disease to diagnose, especially in the early stages. The
- statement in the FAQ that later stages of syphilis are not
- curable is IMHO wrong. There is some controversy on this point in
- treating advanced neurosyphilis, but I believe this represents
- difficulties in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment in the
- short term in these patients. I believe patients who are not
- successfully treated represent treatment failures not incurable
- disease. Having said this, let me point out that damage by the
- disease prior to treatment is not reversible, although it is
- often treatable.
-
- Genital Herpes
- --------------
-
- Transmission: Generally by sexual contact. Direct contact
- with infected genitals can cause transmission
- via intercourse, rubbing genitals together,
- oral genital contact, anal sex, or oral anal
- contact. In addition, normally protected
- areas of skin can become infected if there is
- a cut, rash, sore. Herpes viruses can be
- spread in some instances by kissing, if one
- participant has the infection sited in or
- near the mouth.
-
- Symptoms: Herpes is marked by clusters of small,
- painful blisters on the genitals. After a few
- days, the blisters burst, leaving small
- ulcers. In men, the blisters usually appear
- on the penis, but can appear in the urethra
- or rectum.
- In women, they usually appear on the labia,
- but can appear on the cervix and anal area.
- First outbreaks are accompanied by fever,
- headache, and muscle soreness for two or more
- consecutive days in 39% of men and 68% of
- women. Other relatively common symptoms
- include painful urination discharge from the
- urethra or vagina, and tender, swollen lymph
- nodes in the groin. These symptoms tend to
- disappear within two weeks. Aseptic
- meningitis occurs in 8 percent of cases, eye
- infections in 1% of cases, and infection of
- the cervix in 88% of infected women. Skin
- lesions last on average 16.5 days in men,
- 19.7 in women. Secondary symptoms are most
- prominent in the first four days and then
- gradually diminish.
-
- Recurrence: None in 10% of cases. Frequency for the
- remaining population is from once a month to
- once every few years. The majority of
- sufferers do not have repeat attacks after a
- few years. Most repeat attacks are less
- severe than the initial attack.
-
- AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
- -----------------------------------------
-
- Transmission: Sexual contact, sharing IV needles, blood
- transfusion (Note that blood is now routinely
- screened for HIV) Note also that the HIV
- virus is significantly less likely to be
- transmitted than the gonorrhea or syphilis
- bacteria.
-
- Symptoms: No single pattern exists. Most common
- symptoms are progressive, inexplicable weight
- loss, persistent fever, swollen lymph nodes,
- and reddish purple coin sized spots on the
- skin (These spots are Kaposi's sarcoma, a
- form of cancer) When symptoms appear, they
- may remain unchanged for months, or may be
- followed by any one of a number of
- opportunistic infections. Typically these
- include pneumocystis carinii, an unusual form
- of pneumonia, fungal infections,
- tuberculosis, and various herpes forms.
- Treatment may fend off these infections,
- however the typical course is for one
- overwhelming infection to follow another
- until the victim succumbs due to the immune
- system's failure to return to a normal state,
- and hence, the opportunistic infection's
- relative freedom to wreak havoc on the
- victim's systems. It is possible for AIDS to
- be asymptomatic for prolonged periods of time
- while still being contagious.
-
- On the significance of symptoms of HIV
- separate from infections:
-
- While most AIDS patients do eventually die
- of/with various opportunistic infections, the
- significance of the chronic wasting can not
- be ignored. In the early days of AIDS, there
- were patients that by current definitions
- clearly had AIDS, but were never classified
- as such since they died of the "dwindles"
- before acquiring an opportunistic infection
- that would have made that diagnosis.
- Also, there has been much discussion of the
- minimal time until HIV seroconversion. It
- should be noted that patients with advanced
- HIV disease can become "HIV negative" as they
- lose the ability to make antibodies to HIV
- (this does not represent an improvement in
- the condition). A final comment on HIV: the
- opportunistic infections encountered in HIV
- infection are generally acquired common
- environmental pathogens or acquired from the
- host themselves. This is why HIV wards do not
- serve to infect all occupants with all
- diseases present.
-
- Pubic Lice (Crabs)
- ------------------
-
- Transmission: Nominally through sexual contact, however
- they may be picked up through use of sheets,
- towels or clothing used by an infected
- person.
-
- Symptoms: Intense itching, usually felt mostly at
- night. Some victims have no symptoms, others
- may develop an allergic rash.
-
- Nonspecific Urethritis (NSU)
- ----------------------------
-
- (Most commonly - Chlamydia trachomatous and T. mycoplasma)
-
- Transmission: Some cases are allergic or chemical
- reactions, and are not transmitted per se.
- Others are through sexual contact.
-
- Symptoms: Similar to gonorrhea but usually milder.
- Urethral discharge is generally thin and
- clear. Some cases are asymptomatic.
-
- Also: This can also precipitate a condition called
- Reiter's syndrome in susceptible persons.
-
- The Facts on Hepatitis B
- ------------------------
-
- What is Hepatitis B?
-
- Hepatitis B, a potentially deadly, sexually transmitted disease,
- is not selective about who it infects: anyone can get hepatitis
- B. Yet, even though it affects the lives of hundreds of thousands
- in the United States, most people know very little about this
- serious disease.
-
- The hepatitis B virus has been spreading rapidly in the United
- States, with 14 Americans dying each day from hepatitis B-related
- illnesses. Chances are you know at least one person with
- hepatitis B because one in 20 Americans has been infected with
- the virus.
-
- Why is Hepatitis B Called a Sexually Transmitted Disease?
-
- Hepatitis B is not commonly thought of as a sexually transmitted
- disease. The fact is that it is commonly spread through sex, just
- like AIDS, syphilis, herpes and gonorrhea. The number of
- Americans who have contracted hepatitis B through sex has almost
- doubled in the last decade.
-
- Who Can get Hepatitis B?
-
- Because it is extremely contagious--100 times more contagious
- than AIDS--anyone can get hepatitis B. But you are in even
- greater danger if:
-
- o you have had more than one sexual partner in the last six
- months
- o you have had unprotected sex (without a condom)
- o you or your partner have ever been diagnosed with a sexually
- transmitted disease (such as herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis,
- chlamydia, genital warts or AIDS)
- o you or your partner have had sexual contact with someone who
- has had hepatitis B, or someone who is in one of the
- categories listed above
-
- What Are the Symptoms?
-
- About half of those who get hepatitis B will suffer from an
- inflammation of the liver, called acute hepatitis. Many people
- with hepatitis B mistake the symptoms for other illnesses, such
- as the flu, while others are more seriously affected and may miss
- school or work for months. Some of the symptoms caused by
- hepatitis B are:
-
- o mild, flu-like illness
- o skin rashes and arthritis
- o nausea
- o vomiting
- o loss of appetite
- o malaise
- o abdominal pain
- o jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
-
- What Happens if I Get Hepatitis B?
-
- Those who become chronically infected with hepatitis B have
- substantially higher risk of developing liver cancer than the
- general population. But even if you don't get liver cancer, the
- effects of hepatitis B infection can be so severe that you may
- not be able to go to school or work for several months.
-
- Then there are those who don't even know they have hepatitis B.
- We call them the "silent carriers". This group of symptomless
- carriers can pass the disease on to countless others unknowingly
- (and may eventually get very ill themselves).
-
- NOTE: THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE FOR HEPATITIS B although there is a
- vaccine. Ask a physician for more information.
-
- After May 1, you can call 1-800-HEP-B-873 for referral to a
- physician near you who can answer questions.
-
- Because the transmission of different STDs are not independent,
- persons who acquire _any_ STD are at considerably greater risk
- (epidemiologically) of acquiring other STDs. Persons diagnosed
- with one STD should be examined for other STDs at that time
- (Multiple infections are possible!!!). Persons who have ever had
- a STD (except lice, "crabs") should be aware of whatever was done
- that led them to acquire that STD.
-
- It is now recommended that all children receive the vaccine. It
- has been shown to be effective and is administered in 3 doses.
- The current version is made using recombinant DNA techniques and
- does NOT carry the potential for infection with other diseases,
- as previous vaccines did. Currently, any adult with potential
- occupational exposure to HB are suggested to receive the vaccine
- (for example, health care workers, ambulance personnel). However,
- there is a movement towards vaccinating all individuals [as is
- economically possible] since the vaccine is very safe [no known
- serious adverse reactions] and HB can be potentially fatal.
-
- ------------------------------------------
-
- c7-4. What are venereal warts? treatment?
-
- From: masandy@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu
-
- Venereal warts: incurable, but treatable
-
- It's unfortunate that these viral infections can't be cured and I
- don't even know if the treatment is sufficient, but I guess
- there's nothing that can be done about it. I would like to stress
- that unprotected sex with a new partner REGARDLESS of whether or
- not there are any signs of warts is strongly discouraged.
-
- There are a few treatments out there: liquid nitrogen, electro-
- cauterization, laser cauterization, topical creams and liquids.
-
- Liquid nitrogen: can be painful, but not from the
- treatment itself. In order for the warts
- to stop re-appearing, your body must
- first recognize the problem and form
- antibodies against it. As long as the
- antibodies keep the virus from
- advancing, they will be less likely to
- show up. Also, this prevents the virus
- from spreading SOMEWHAT. It's like a flu
- virus. If no physical symptoms show up,
- you are unlikely to spread it. However,
- like the flu, if symptoms do occur and
- warts show up, it shows that your body's
- defenses have let down their guard
- temporarily and let that virus advance.
- To get your immune system to concentrate
- on the area, you must first damage the
- skin in some way, such as liquid
- nitrogen. This is the painful part: in
- addition to freezing the warts, you must
- burn the surrounding skin area to get
- your T-cells to concentrate on the area.
- This helps your body to control the
- virus.
-
- Electrocauterization: same thing, but instead of freezing
- them, it burns them off electrically and
- cauterizes ("seals") the skin so that no
- open wounds are present. First the
- immediate infected area is numbed (small
- needle prick and pain is over) and then
- they are burned off. Pretty simple and
- more preferable to liquid nitrogen.
-
- Laser: haven't heard much about this, but I
- would assume that it is more costly than
- electro or liquid nitro. Probably uses
- the same technique as electro, but with
- more precision and less pain.
-
- Topical creams: Painless, greaseless, topical creams can
- be helpful for some cases. EFUDEX 5% is
- probably at the top of the treatment
- cream list at this time. Supposedly
- works within 1 month and acts to kill
- the foreign tissue. I don't know if the
- rate of recurrence is higher for creams
- or cauterization, but that rate is
- definitely present and depends on how
- well your body first reacts to the
- virus. If more antibodies are made and
- you don't have much stress in your life,
- you should be ok. More stress on the
- body or other illnesses can cause the
- virus to pop right back up again. You
- only have one immune system, and your
- body is host to many viruses. It's
- difficult to fight all of them at the
- same time.
-
- Liquids: In addition to the cream mentioned
- above, there are liquids that can be
- injected into the area which act as
- acids and dissolve the warts. The cream
- mentioned above is recommended for warts
- inside the urethra or vagina where you
- can still see them. A cystoscopy
- (lighted microscope inserted into the
- urethra) is recommended to make sure
- there are no others deeper inside. There
- are liquids for getting at these deeper-
- located warts.
-
- Podophyllin (po-DAH-fill-in) is usually
- injected into the urethra and basically
- works to make the virus regress and
- dissolve the existing warts.
-
- Trichloroacetic acid is much more
- painful and powerful in cases of
- urethral blockage. Not recommended for
- general treatment.
-
- Thiotepa (thi-uh-TEE-puh) is another one
- used for basically the same purpose.
- These, however, are only used where the
- warts can't be seen, so after the
- cystoscopy, your doctor will probably
- recommend one of these anyways.
-
- As I said, there is no cure; the virus is still present even
- though there may be no physical signs. I'm still not sure as to
- the general scope of the rates of recurrence, but as far as I
- know, there is definitely a possibility of recurrence. Consult a
- UROLOGIST at first signs of any infections, don't wait for the
- symptoms to go away. Almost every STD has symptoms that
- eventually fade out, but that doesn't mean that your body has
- conquered it. It may come back in other areas and cause
- significant problems.
-
- =================================================================
-
- Category 8. Contraception
-
- c8-1. What are the various methods of contraception? and
- their effectiveness rates? and their associated risks
- if any?
-
- From: c31002wb@jezebel.wustl.edu (William Burris)
- Message-ID: <1992Mar10.215138.11142@wuecl.wustl.edu>
- Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1992 21:51:38 GMT
-
- % of women experiencing an
- accidental pregnancy in the
- first year of use
- ----------------------------------------------------
- Lowest Lowest
- Method Expected Typical Reported
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- Chance 85 85 43.1
-
- Spermicides 3 21 0.0
-
- Periodic abstinence 20
- Calender 9 14.4
- Ovulation Method 3 10.5
- Symptothermal 2 12.6
- Postovulation 1 2.0
-
- Withdrawal 4 18 6.7
-
- Cervical Cap 6 18 8.0
-
- Sponge
- Parous women 9 28 27.7
- Nulliparous women 6 18 13.9
-
- Diaphragm 6 18 2.1
-
- Condom 2 12 4.2
-
- IUD
- Progestasert 2.0 3 1.9
- Copper T 380A 0.8 3 0.5
-
- Pill
- Combined 0.1 3 0.0
- Progestogen only 0.5 3 1.1
-
- Injectable progestogen
- DMPA 0.3 0.3 0.0
- NET 0.4 0.4 0.0
-
- Implants
- NORPLANT (6 capsules) 0.04 0.04 0.0
- NORPLANT (2 rods) 0.03 0.03 0.0
-
- Female sterilization 0.2 0.4 0.0
-
- Male sterilization 0.1 0.15 0.0
-
- Associated Risk statistics
-
- Activity Chance of Death in a Year
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- Risks for men and women of all ages who participate in:
- Motorcycling 1 in 1,000
- Automobile driving 1 in 6,000
- Power boating 1 in 6,000
- Rock climbing 1 in 7,500
- Playing football 1 in 25,000
- Canoeing 1 in 100,000
-
- Risks for women aged 15 to 44 years:
- Using Tampons 1 in 350,000
- Having sexual intercourse (PID) 1 in 50,000
-
- Preventing pregnancy:
- Using birth control pills
- nonsmoker 1 in 63,000
- smoker 1 in 16,000
- Using IUDs 1 in 100,000
- Using diaphragm, condom or spermicide NONE
- Using fertility awareness methods NONE
- Undergoing sterilization:
- Laparoscopic tubal ligation 1 in 67,000
- Hysterectomy 1 in 1,600
- Vasectomy 1 in 300,000
-
- Continuing pregnancy 1 in 14,300
-
- Terminating Pregnancy:
- Illegal abortion 1 in 3,000
- Legal abortion
- Before 9 weeks 1 in 500,000
- Between 9-12 weeks 1 in 67,000
- Between 13-15 weeks 1 in 23,000
- After 15 weeks 1 in 8,700
-
- The source is the 1990-1992, 15th Revised Edition of
- Contraceptive Technology. Authored by too many doctors to cite.
- However, this book is used by millions of doctors around the
- world as an authority on contraception. Its authors gather their
- sources from data published by several different statistic
- gathering organizations (such as the Centres for Disease Control)
- and then compile and interpret it in their book.
- Happy Reading.
-
- -----
-
- From: mf2x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Raymond Feely)
- Date: 1 Oct 91 20:52:32 GMT
-
- Nominally, the failure rates for contraceptive methods are
- expressed as "number of pregnancies per one hundred user couples
- per year" Thus of one hundred couples who used condoms as a birth
- control method, two experienced unwanted pregnancies in one year.
-
- Below are reproduced the failure rates for typical contraceptive
- methods. My source for this is the tome "Sex A User's Manual"
- published by The Diagram Group. (Berkeley Publishing Group, New
- York c 1981) The list of credited contributors includes Toni
- Bellefield, Medical Information Officer, Family Planning
- Information Service, and D.B. Garrioch, MD, MRCOG, Senior
- Registrar in Gynecology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London.
-
- Actual failure rate - number of pregnancies per 100
- couples per year of use, includes
- conception due to user's failing to
- use the method properly, as well as
- through method failures.
-
- Theoretical failure rate - number of pregnancies expected per
- 100 couples per year of use,
- allowing only for failure of the
- method to function when used
- properly. Condoms breaking for no
- apparent reason, etc, are method
- failures.
-
- I = less than 1
- X = expected failure rate, one X per pregnancy
- x = actual failure rate minus expected rate, one x per pregnancy
-
- I Tubal Ligation (E 0.04/A 0.04)
- I Vasectomy (E 0.15/A 0.15)
- XXXxx IUD (E 1-3/A 5)
- Ixxxxxxxxxx Combined Pill (E 1-1.5/A 5-10)
- Ixxxxxxxxxx Minipill (E 1-1.5/A5-10)
- XXXxxxxxxx Condoms (E 3/A 10)
- XXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cap & Spermicide (E 3/A17)
- (Rates for diaphragm are probably
- somewhat lower)
- XXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rhythm (temp) (E 7/A 20)
- XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx Rhythm (calendar) (E 13 /A 21)
- XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rhythm (mucous) (E 2/A25)
- XXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Spermicides (E 3/A 20-25)
- XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Withdrawal (E 9/A20-25)
-
- It is to be noted that this data is rather old, and therefore
- omits one crucial form of birth control currently available - the
- low dose pill. Low dose birth control pills are a more
- sophisticated development of the combined pill, and function in
- essentially the same way, but do not require as high an overall
- dose of hormones per month, thus reducing side effects
- considerably. Low dose pills may also be taken right up til
- menopause, whereas it is recommended that the combined or mini
- pills be discontinued around age 40-45.
-
- The rate I remember for "No birth control" was somewhere on the
- order of 80%, however, that is for a statistical sample over
- time, not for "one fuck".
-
- >I believe some women also have strong allergic reactions to
- >spermicides. I would (personally) say they are a poor choice.
-
- Independently, they are, but bear in mind that spermicides are
- absolutely necessary to the functioning of some forms of birth
- control - even a well fitted diaphragm is pretty much useless
- without spermicidal jelly.
-
- DIAPHRAGM
- ---------
- (from: elf@halcyon.com)
-
- Has a failure rate of 2% (i.e. out of 100 women who primarily use
- the diaphragm, two become pregnant). Always use spermicide; both
- partners _must_ learn how to place it properly. It has few
- associated risks; it cannot become 'lost' because the vagina is
- only a few inches long. Can 'slip' and press against the rectum;
- this can be uncomfortable. Also, some men can feel the diaphragm
- during intercourse. Some women have recurrent yeast infections
- when using the diaphragm.
-
- The average diaphragm costs about 20-30 dollars, but it must
- first be sized and fitted by a gynecologist, so there is the cost
- of a doctor's fee. Must be replaced every two years to ensure
- correct fit and product lifespan. A tube of Gynol II costs around
- 11 dollars and is good for 24 doses of spermicide.
-
- The major disadvantage to the diaphragm is that it must be used
- one of two ways; either it is inserted before any sort of sexual
- play, in which case the taste of spermicide can become an issue
- if the couple wishes to engage in oral sex, or is inserted after
- oral sex but before intercourse, which can be considered a major
- interruption of play and may lead to not using it all.
- (SOURCE: "The New Our Bodies, Ourselves" The Boston Women's
- Health Book Collective, 1984. Pgs 225-228.)
-
- A personal observation: Omaha and I rely on the diaphragm as our
- primary birth control. As mentioned, she does have recurrent
- yeast infection, but we both agree this is a minimal compared to
- the intense, suicidal depression that came when she mixed birth
- control pills and her epilepsy medication.
-
- We are both fond of oral sex, so we use the diaphragm in the
- latter way described in paragraph three. We have never failed to
- used it; insertion of the diaphragm has become a major part of
- our play, a way of saying "I love you, I care about you, I _will_
- be responsible with your body" during lovemaking.
-
- The diaphragm, it _must_ be remembered, is _not_ an effective
- method of STD control; only a condom can do that. The diaphragm
- is a reproduction control method for primary partners only!
-
- ------------------------------------------
-
- c8-2. What kinds of condoms are there?
-
- (from: Steven Sharp, sesharp@happy.colorado.edu)
-
- This is a posting of information about types of condoms which are
- significantly larger or smaller than average. I got it out of a
- book called "The Condom Book" or something similarly imaginative.
-
- One thing that was apparent from reading through the descriptions
- was that advertising on size (or for that matter thickness or
- ribbing or whatever) is often misleading. A brand which is
- claimed to be smaller than average frequently isn't outside the
- normal variation. There may also be differences in size based on
- variations in manufacturing and these figures were probably based
- on single samples. Different size measurements for different
- styles of the same brand may indicate such variations or be an
- attempt to provide some size variation, in which case getting the
- precise style named is important. All measurements are flat and
- don't take into account elasticity, which might influence comfort
- when worn. Typical condom flat widths range from 2" to 2-1/8"
- (meaning two and one eighth, not two minus an eight). All the
- condoms listed here are both lubricated and reservoir ended.
- Company names are listed in parentheses. Extra words which may
- appear in the name on some packages are listed in square
- brackets. It is possible I've copied some numbers wrong (and
- other disclaimer noises).
-
- Slimmer condoms
- ---------------
- Bikini (Barnetts): slightly less than 2" by
- 7-1/4", packaged in that
- frustrating plastic
- wrapper
-
- [Sheik] Fetherlite (Schmid): 1-7/8" by 7-1/2"
-
- Hugger (Circle): 1-7/8" by 7-1/8"
-
- Slims (Circle): 1-7/8" by 7-3/4"
-
- Mentor (Mentor): 2" by 8", not smaller,
- but has adhesive inside
- to prevent slippage,
- rather expensive though
-
- Wider condoms
- -------------
- Excita (Schmid): 2-1/4" by 8-1/4", Excita
- Extra has spermicide
-
- [Lifestyle] [Horizon] Nuda (Ansel): 2-5/8" head, 2-1/8"
- shaft, by 8-1/8"
-
- [Ramses] NuForm (Schmid): 2-1/2" upper, 2+" lower,
- by 8-1/4, has benzocaine
- anaesthetic
-
- Rough Rider (Ansel): 2-1/2" by 8" thick but
- doesn't block sensations,
- raised studs
-
- Sheik Ribbed (Schmid): 2-1/4", forgot to note
- length
-
- (Note wide variation in Sheik. Elite with spermicide and
- Lubricated (with benzocaine?) are both 2-1/8". Fetherlite is
- 1-7/8".)
-
- Trojan-Enz Lubricated (Carter-Wallace): 2-1/4" by 8"
-
- Longer condoms
- --------------
- Man-form Lubricated (Protex): 2" by 8-3/4" long
- packaged in that
- frustrating plastic
- wrapper
-
- [Trojan] Naturalube (Carter-Wallace): 2" by 8-5/8"
-
- =================================================================
-
- Category 9. Myths
-
- A. You can't get pregnant...
- 1. if it's the first time your having sex.
- 2. if she doesn't reach orgasm.
- 3. before she has her FIRST period.
- 4. doing it standing up.
- 5. douching with Coke (or any other soft drink) right
- afterwards.
- 6. if you piss afterwards.
- 7. from anal sex.
-
- B. Masturbation causes...
- 1. blindness.
- 2. hair to grow on your palms.
-
- C. No one ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, *ever*, EVER, *EVER*
- makes an irrelevant post to alt.sex.
-
- D. People read the FAQ file first, before asking the net about
- something.
-
- E. Alt.sex is a bboard read by only 10 000 people.
-
- F. Sex is evil.
-
- G. Women can't enjoy sex.
-
- =================================================================
-
- Appendix 1. List of Contributors
-
- (NOTE: If you find something you've written which is not
- attributed properly, tell me!)
-
- The first contributor has to be Tony Chen. Thank you Tony.
- abb3w@fulton.seas.Virginia.EDU (Arthur Bernard Byrne)
- alanc@ocf.Berkeley.edu (Alan Coopersmith)
- bron@iastate.edu (Bronwyn J S Hoon)
- c31002wb@jezebel.wustl.edu (William Burris)
- (Carole Ashmore)
- clw5@po.CWRU.Edu (Christopher L. Wood)
- cy004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Anne Duvall)
- ed@stauff.UUCP (Edward L. Stauff)
- elf@halcyon.com (Elf Sternberg)
- gwh0621@Msu.oscs.montana.edu (The Bedroom Commando)
- hurd@fraser.sfu.ca (Peter L. Hurd)
- iballant@gucis.cit.gu.edu.au (Ian Ballantyne)
- icon@proto.COM (The Iconoclast)
- japlady@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Rebecca Radnor)
- jik@rtfm.MIT.EDU (Jonathan I. Kamens)
- klaus@diku.dk (Klaus Ole Kristiansen)
- kwatsi@athena.mit.edu (Atomic Playboy)
- loredich@miavx3.mid.muohio.edu (Loredich)
- markley@grad1.cis.upenn.edu (Jim Markley)
- masandy@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu
- mf2x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Raymond Feely)
- pete@cssc-syd.tansu.com.au (Peter A. Merel)
- rpeck@jessica.stanford.edu (Raymond Peck)
- sesharp@happy.colorado.edu (Steven Sharp)
- sorc@math.unm.edu (Sorc Kirishi)
- stsou@hpcupt1.cup.hp.com (Sharon Tsou)
- (The Contrivor)
- tmcdonal@ringer.cs.utsa.edu (Tom McDonald)
- travis@ZONKER.gs.com (Travis Lee Winfrey)
- U32682@UICVM.UIC.EDU (Christopher K. Howard)
-
- =END OF FAQ FILE=================================================
-