Women now can use a female condom for safe sex.

The female condom, which took 7 years and more than $26 million to develop, has been approved as a barrier protection method by the Food and Drug Administration. It is marketed by its developer, The Female Health Co. in Chicago. The female condom is a transparent sheath that lines the vagina and creates a barrier against sperm and sexually transmitted diseases. Positive and negative attributes are listed, and commonly asked questions about the female condom are answered. The condoms are sold in pharmacies for $2 to $3 each, but are available free of charge from various family planning clinics. Contact information is provided.