Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow to TellWhat to DoPregnancy RiskRisk of STIsWhy Condoms BreakPreventing Breakage
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How to Tell
What to Do
Pregnancy Risk
Risk of STIs
Why Condoms Break
Preventing Breakage
If acondombreaks during sex, it’s important to know what to do so you can act quickly to reduce your risk of pregnancy orsexually transmitted infections (STIs), includingHIV.
10 Ways to Prevent Condom Failure
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
How Can You Tell a Condom Broke?
When a condom breaks, you can sometimes tell immediately. At other times, you may only realize it when pulling out yourpenis. At other times still, the breakage may not be all that apparent and require close inspection.
There are different ways to tell if a condom has burst before, during, and after sex:
Condom breakages can not only affectexternal (“male') condomsthat you place on a penis but alsointernal (“female”) condomsthat you insert into avagina.
How to CheckIf you are not sure if a condom has burst, take it to the bathroom and fill it to the top with tap water. If there is a breakage anywhere on the condom, you’ll see a tiny stream of water shooting out.
How to Check
If you are not sure if a condom has burst, take it to the bathroom and fill it to the top with tap water. If there is a breakage anywhere on the condom, you’ll see a tiny stream of water shooting out.
Use This Condom Size Chart
Broken Condom: What to Do Next
If a condom breaks during sex, stop immediately and carefully pull off the condom. Do not yank it off.
You and your partner will then need to ascertain two things:
These things can help direct the appropriate response for each partner.
For the Receptive Partner
If the condom broke after ejaculation, the exposure to semen is clearly greater. In such cases, try to remove as much semen from the vagina or rectum as possible. You can try squatting or sitting on a toilet and bearing down as if having a bowel movement.
Afterward, gently wash the anus or vagina with soap and water. You should do the same even if there was no ejaculation.
What Not to DoDo not scrub, douche, or use harsh cleansers or disinfectants on the vagina or anus. These can disrupt delicate tissues and strip away protective mucus, making it easier for STIs to enter the body.
What Not to Do
Do not scrub, douche, or use harsh cleansers or disinfectants on the vagina or anus. These can disrupt delicate tissues and strip away protective mucus, making it easier for STIs to enter the body.
If you are the insertive partner, immediately wash the penis, scrotum, and groin area with soap and warm water.
Urination appears to be of little benefit to people with vaginas due to the larger area of exposedmucosal tissuesand the shorter length of the urethra.
Pregnancy Concerns
If a condom breaks and you’re not onbirth control, pregnancy can occur. While the risk may be lower if your partner hasn’t ejaculated (or the rip is relatively small), you may still want to take precautions just in case.
Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraceptionis a form of birth control following sexual intercourse. It comes in two forms:
Emergency contraception can be started up to five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex, although some morning-after pills work best before three days (72 hours).
When to Take a Pregnancy Test
Even if you’ve used emergency contraception, you may still want to take a pregnancy test to ensure that you haven’t accidentally conceived.
According to Planned Parenthood, you should wait to take ahome pregnancy testthree weeks after the accidental breakage of a condom (or if your regular period is late).
How Soon Can You Take a Pregnancy Test?
STI Concerns
A burst condom places you and your partner at risk of any number of STIs. The main concern is HIV, in part because it is incurable but also because the infection may be averted if you take immediate action.
If you think you’ve exchanged body fluids (namely semen, vaginal fluids, or anal secretion) and you’re unsure about your or your partner’s HIV status, go to the nearest clinic or emergency room with your partner immediately.
They can assess your risk factors for HIV, offer you arapid HIV testto see if you have the disease, and decide whether you need a 28-day course of medications calledpost-exposure prophylaxis therapy (PEP)to reduce your risk of getting HIV.
How Soon After Should You Get an STI Test?
There are other STIs you will want to check for if you’ve been accidentally exposed during sex. But you would need to wait before getting tested because STIs have awindow periodduring which the virus or bacteria is not detectable.
Common STIs likechlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis can usually be detected in blood tests after two weeks.Combination HIV testscan usually return a reliable diagnosis within 18 to 45 days.
What Are the Signs of an STI?
Why Would a Condom Break?
While it is possible a flaw occurred during manufacturing, the more likely cause of condom breakage is user error.
Example include:
How to Prevent a Condom From Breaking
Once you understand why condoms break, you can take steps to avoid it from happening. These include:
Summary
If a condom breaks during sex, stop immediately and try to remove any body fluids from the vagina or anus. You should also wash your genitals with soap and warm water.
To prevent pregnancy, you can take the morning-after pill or use a copper IUD within five days of the condom breaking. You can take a home pregnancy test after three weeks to see if you’ve accidentally conceived.
If there is a risk of HIV, a 28-day course of medications called PEP may avert the infection if started within 72 hours. You can check for other common STIs two weeks or so after the possible exposure and start treatment if the test is positive. For HIV, you may need to wait up to 45 days to get tested.
To prevent condom breakage, store the condom correctly, choose the right size, and learn how to put them on and use them correctly.
HIV Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Download PDF
Email AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
Sign Up
Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.
There was an error. Please try again.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Beksinska M, Wong R, Smit J.Male and female condoms: Their key role in pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention.Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol.2020;66:55-67. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2019.12.001International Organization of Standardization.ISO 4074:2015(en) natural rubber latex male condoms — requirements and test methods.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.Lehmiller JJ.The Psychology of Human Sexuality. Wiley-Blackwell; 2014:294.Fang W, Zhang Q, Jiang T.Is gonococcal paraurethral duct infection a local complication of urethral gonorrhea in men?Am J Men Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319849134Harris LM.Does urinating after intercourse reduce the risk of urinary tract infections among women?Evidence Based Practice. 2013;16(5):6. doi:10.1097/01.EBP.0000540379.68950.14Planned Parenthood.Emergency contraception (morning-after pill).Planned Parenthood.Can I take a pregnancy test right after sex?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing HIV with PrEP.Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1National Health Service (UK).Sexual transmitted infections (STIs).
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Beksinska M, Wong R, Smit J.Male and female condoms: Their key role in pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention.Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol.2020;66:55-67. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2019.12.001International Organization of Standardization.ISO 4074:2015(en) natural rubber latex male condoms — requirements and test methods.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.Lehmiller JJ.The Psychology of Human Sexuality. Wiley-Blackwell; 2014:294.Fang W, Zhang Q, Jiang T.Is gonococcal paraurethral duct infection a local complication of urethral gonorrhea in men?Am J Men Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319849134Harris LM.Does urinating after intercourse reduce the risk of urinary tract infections among women?Evidence Based Practice. 2013;16(5):6. doi:10.1097/01.EBP.0000540379.68950.14Planned Parenthood.Emergency contraception (morning-after pill).Planned Parenthood.Can I take a pregnancy test right after sex?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing HIV with PrEP.Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1National Health Service (UK).Sexual transmitted infections (STIs).
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Beksinska M, Wong R, Smit J.Male and female condoms: Their key role in pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention.Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol.2020;66:55-67. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2019.12.001International Organization of Standardization.ISO 4074:2015(en) natural rubber latex male condoms — requirements and test methods.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.Lehmiller JJ.The Psychology of Human Sexuality. Wiley-Blackwell; 2014:294.Fang W, Zhang Q, Jiang T.Is gonococcal paraurethral duct infection a local complication of urethral gonorrhea in men?Am J Men Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319849134Harris LM.Does urinating after intercourse reduce the risk of urinary tract infections among women?Evidence Based Practice. 2013;16(5):6. doi:10.1097/01.EBP.0000540379.68950.14Planned Parenthood.Emergency contraception (morning-after pill).Planned Parenthood.Can I take a pregnancy test right after sex?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing HIV with PrEP.Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1National Health Service (UK).Sexual transmitted infections (STIs).
Beksinska M, Wong R, Smit J.Male and female condoms: Their key role in pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention.Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol.2020;66:55-67. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2019.12.001
International Organization of Standardization.ISO 4074:2015(en) natural rubber latex male condoms — requirements and test methods.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.
Lehmiller JJ.The Psychology of Human Sexuality. Wiley-Blackwell; 2014:294.
Fang W, Zhang Q, Jiang T.Is gonococcal paraurethral duct infection a local complication of urethral gonorrhea in men?Am J Men Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319849134
Harris LM.Does urinating after intercourse reduce the risk of urinary tract infections among women?Evidence Based Practice. 2013;16(5):6. doi:10.1097/01.EBP.0000540379.68950.14
Planned Parenthood.Emergency contraception (morning-after pill).
Planned Parenthood.Can I take a pregnancy test right after sex?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing HIV with PrEP.
Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1
National Health Service (UK).Sexual transmitted infections (STIs).
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
