High cost is one of the reasons why there are so few female condom options available. But this seems to be only part of the story.

Female condoms have stricter regulatory controls to pass through than male condoms, making it harder for manufacturers to come out with different options.

In an upcoming article in the Contraception journal, Mags Beksinka and her colleagues stress that the tougher rules for female condoms compared to male condoms deter manufacturers from producing different types of female condoms.

Depending on where you live, there are currently 6 types of female condom out there on the market: FC1, FC2, Reddy FC, Phoenurse, Cupid, and Panty condom. 

Chances are you’ve only heard of FC1 and FC2. And part of the reason for that is because FC1 and FC2 have been approved by the two major international regulatory bodies: the United Nations health organisation WHO and the American Food and Drug Administration, the US FDA. The others have been only been approved by smaller regulatory bodies or specific countries. 

Image left: fc2 ; right: Reddy fc

Source: Universal Access to Female Condoms (UAFC) Joint Programme

Importance of regulatory approval
It may seem like unnecessary paperwork, but the right kind of regulatory approval is vital.  Nienke Blauw, Advocacy Officer for  Universal Access to Female Condoms (UAFC) Joint Programme says, “without WHO pre-qualification or FDA approval, big donors  cannot purchase or distribute these female condoms in their programs”. 

Not all regulatory boards are equal
To make it even more confusing, different donors require different seals of approval. USAID needs to use female condoms approved by the FDA. For UNFPA, a WHO seal of approval is required. The Reddy FC and the Cupid have EU approval, and their makers are taking steps to receive WHO pre-qualification. Without FDA or WHO approval, however, procurement and distribution of these condoms remains limited.

New female condom on the horizon – woman’s condom
Since most users of female condoms get them through programmes subsidised by either USAID or UNFPA, their options are limited to FC1 or FC2. However, more variety may soon be available. The Chinese FDA is set to approve a new female condom called the Woman’s condom by 2011. To ensure big donors like UNFPA are able to procure and distribute them, the makers are working to get WHO pre-qualification as well.