Many couples stop using condoms at roughly the 2 month mark in their relationship, a new study discovers.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Call it the “condom moment.”
That’s the name the authors of a new study have given to the pivotal conversation every couple should be having about condom use, STD prevention and sexual health.
Despite the fact that 80 percent of those questioned said that condom use was important to them, only a little more than a third said they used condoms every time they had sex.
The study — which was sponsored by Trojan and MTV — tried to dig deeper as it why that is.
Long-term relationships and the “condom cliff.”
The researchers found that condom usage dropped off dramatically after a relationship became long term — with a significant drop occurring at the two month mark.
Lack of honest conversations.
While couples stopped regularly using condoms after seeing each other for a while, the study also found that couples were not actually talking about whether or not they had been tested for STDs or about how they felt about skipping protection before making their decision.
“Despite respondents overwhelmingly saying they would be comfortable having a conversation about condom use and STDs with their partner, they don’t seem to have much experience actually doing it,” the researchers wrote. They also note that the Centers for Disease Control, there are 20 million new STD infections in the United States each year and many of those infections – including HIV – do not show up on tests for at least 6 months.
“Trust and respect for a partner are two important aspects in any relationship,” says Trojan spokesperson and relationship expert Matthew Hussey in a statement. “Even though your relationship status may change, your sexual health status doesn’t, so it’s essential to have an honest conversation about using condoms.”
Follow Lakshmi Gandhi on Twitter @LakshmiGandhi.
