The incidence of condom breakage during vaginal intercourse has been estimated at around 1 percent, reports an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. Those are low odds of a disaster, especially when you consider the alternative: no condom and unprotected sex. Still, if your partner happens to be infected with AIDS and the condom breaks, you could die. In the overwhelming majority of cases, however, condom failures occur because they're not used correctly, not because of defects in manufacturing.

Speaking of AIDS, an estimated 20 million people worldwide are now infected with HIV, and if the virus continues to spread, the total will reach 40 million by 2000. The real scary news is that AIDS is spreading most rapidly in the United States among among girls and young women, primarily as the result of heterosexual activity. In fact, in the United States, HIV is currently the fourth cause of death among women 25-44 years of age.

To obtain accurate information on AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, contact:

American Social Health Association (ASHA), 
P.O. Box 13827, 
Research Triangle Park, 
North Carolina 27709, 
(919) 361-8400;
FAX (919) 361-8425;
1-800-972-8500.

ASHA also operates STD hotlines. These include:

National STD Hotline:1-800-227-8922

National Herpes Hotline:1-919-361-8488

National AIDS Hotline: 
(English-language service) 1-800-342-AIDS
(Spanish-language service)1-800-344-7432
(TTY service for the deaf)  1-800-243-7889

Joel R. Cooper
The Medical Reporter/Joel R. Cooper Creative Services
Medical & Healthcare writing, editing and reporting
P.O. Box 370314
Denver, CO 80237
Telephone: (303) 337-6299; FAX: (303) 337- 9201
e-mail: jcooper@medreport.com