Most condom myths survive because they are half true, or because they describe something that
happened once to someone. The pages below take them one at a time — pregnancy beliefs, health scares,
HIV, and the reliability question underneath all of them.
Two facts settle most of the arguments before they start: condoms are 87% effective in typical use
and 98% with correct use, and a condom that has been stored badly is not a reliable condom. Everything
else is detail.
Pregnancy and effectiveness
Health scares that are not real
HIV and STIs
Reliability
The myth that costs the most: “one condom is as good as another.” Sizing and age
matter more than brand — see why condoms break and
condom effectiveness.