micro tears in condom & bc pill concerns

[marylee29]

hi, i have 2 questions i was hoping to get answers for.

1) i’m worried about microtears in condoms. sometimes, bc my nails are kinda long, when i’m putting on a condom for my bf, the latex sometimes gets caught on my fingernail briefly. also, 3 weeks back, when we were having sex with a condom, i got dry halfway but we still continued for a while before i told him to pull out (this was before he came) as it was uncomfortable. the condom did not look torn, nor was there any cum leaking out when he came. but i’m still paranoid and was wondering if microtears are possible here?

2) i take bc pills (microgynon 30 ED). my country is pretty hot, with temperatures ranging from 28C to up to 37C at one point this month. i’ve been taking my pills for about 5 months now. i store my pills in its original box with its pamphlet inside, and the box is in an even bigger box with no lid on top. i store this on a shelf near the window, but the curtain there is always drawn so there has never been any direct sunlight on it. i was wondering if my pills are at risk of losing its potency? i heard they can only survive temps up to 30C, but my pamphlet did not mention this. i got the pills to regulate my period, they’ve been working, plus the pills aren’t sticky or melted or anything. should i still be worried?

answers will be much appreciated. thank you in advance

[Logan W]

Hi marylee,

First, I just want to say that condoms don't really get micro-tears. When a condom rip, it's very noticeable. I hope this helps to alleviate any anxiety about condoms!

Secondly, some birth control pills lose effectiveness if stored in higher temperatures. I would recommend storing the pills away from the window, maybe in a cabinet or drawer? You did mention that you couldn't find anything about this in the pamphlet that came with the pills so I would also check in with your doctor and ask if the specific pills you take are effected by high temperatures.