Q: Why did a condom just fall out of me? I haven’t had sex in over a week. I was using the bathroom today and, to my surprise, a condom came out. Am I at risk for an infection?

A: Well, let's take the optimistic approach to this awkward situation and be thankful that this long lost condom is now out of your body. Having any foreign object lodged in your vagina or cervix for that amount of time puts you at risk for Toxic Shock Syndrome or TSS, which is most commonly associated with tampons.

If you notice any unusual symptoms at all, or you suspect a piece of a broken or torn condom may still be embedded inside of you, please visit your OB/GYN or your local free clinic for a checkup right away. If symptoms occur, they could be a direct result of the condom harboring bacteria inside of your cervix. Plus, since his condom fell off during or after intercourse, getting full panel STD screening and a pregnancy test couldn’t hurt either.

I would like to mention that I have seen quite a few of these posts on Reddit lately, so you are not the only one who has experienced this issue in the past few months. Let's tackle the reason why this happens so frequently and hopefully we can help you and others successfully avoid this unpleasantness in the future.

First of all, condoms are NOT one-size-fits-all. Every brand and style of condom has different lengths and widths. It is vital for your sexual and reproductive health to use the correct sized condom on your male partner, otherwise it could fall or slip off during or after intercourse (especially if the condom is too girthy). Here is a useful and handy condom size chart for easy size referencing.

Most people do not consider how much weight ejaculate adds to the tip of the condom, so if the base size is too big, the weight of the ejaculate pulls the slippery condom off and it can get lodged in your cervix. Post-ejaculation is when an oversized condom has the highest chance of slipping off and getting stuck inside of you. This is certainly not an ideal occurrence, because it defeats the entire purpose of wearing a condom (preventing pregnancy and STD contraction). For your full protection, the base of the condom should be tight enough that this will not happen.

If you are unsure of his size (length or circumference), you can measure him while he is erect to find out using this method. I find it helpful to keep a variety of sizes of condoms handy. Some men are embarrassed to buy a snugger fit condom, so if you already have them at the ready, it makes staying safe a whole lot easier. For smaller than average guys I recommend Atlas True Fit condoms, LifeStyles Snugger Fit condoms and Iron Grip condoms by Caution Wear.

All of this being said, it would have been much more respectful for him to at least mention to you that the condom came off. Unfortunately, you had to discover this fact a week later, by yourself, when you could have easily been informed about it at the time. It seems unlikely that he wouldn’t notice it’s absence while withdrawing. He could have been reluctant to tell you for a variety of reasons, but ultimately he chose not to disclose this important information. You may want to consider finding someone who is willing to be more open and honest with you when it comes to your health and safety.

Wishing you the best of luck. Have fun and stay safe!