Here is why I said that condom usage is more than laboratory testing. Actual usage shows a much higher failure rate than would be had given the touted 98%-99% success rate cited by some (which implies a failure rate of only 1-2%)..
A Summary of Major Studies on Condom Breakage and Slippage Rates
Code:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study Total Condoms Users | Breakage Rate (percent) | Slippage Rate (percent) | Total Breaks | Total Slips
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 1:
Nevada(A) 353 0.0% 3.9% 0 14
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 2:
United States(B) 4,632 4.0% 0.6% 185 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 3:
Sydney,
Australia(C) 605 0.5% --- 3 ---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 4:
United States(D) 147 0.7% 7.4% 1 11
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 5:
Atlanta,
Georgia(E) 478 3.7% 13.7% 18 65
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 6:
Atlanta,
Georgia(F) 405 2.4% 13.1% 10 53
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 7:
California(G) 3,717 3.0% 2.9% 112 108
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 8:
North Carolina(H) 1,072 3.3% 5.4% 35 58
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study # 9:
North Carolina(I) 4,589 11.1% --- 507 ---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study #10:
North Carolina(J) 1,947 5.3% 3.5% 103 68
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study #11:
California(K) 2,059 4.3% 2.2% 89 45
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study #12:
North Carolina(L) 752 4.1% --- 31 ---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study #13:
Denmark(M) 385 5.0% --- 19 ---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study #14:
New Zealand(N) 3,685 5.3% 5.1% 195 188
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study #15:
North Carolina(O) 358 12.0% 15.0% 43 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals and
Averages 25,184 5.36% 3.67% 1,351 692
Summary of Studies
Average breakage rate of all condoms: 1,351/25,184 = 5.36%
Average slippage rate of all condoms: 692/18,853 = 3.67%
Total failure rate of all condoms: 9.13%
Reference: All of these studies are listed in Robert A. Hatcher, et. al. Contraceptive Technology (17th Revised Edition) [New York: Ardent Media, Inc., 1998]. Table 16-3, "Prospective Studies of Condom Breakage and Slippage," pages 330 to 332. The Table refers to the following studies, as listed above. All studies or parts of studies refer to vaginal intercourse only.
[A] Study of Nevada Brothel Prostitutes. A.E. Albert, D.L. Warner, R.A Hatcher, J. Trussell, and C. Bennett. "Condom Use Among Female Commercial *** Workers in Nevada's Legal Brothels." American Journal of Public Health, 1995;85:1,514-1,520.
[ B ] Study of Monogamous American Couples. M.J. Rosenberg and M.S Waugh. "Latex Condom Breakage and Slippage in a Controlled Clinical Trial." Contraception, 1997;56:17.21 (events of breakage and slippage were unambiguously not double counted).
[C] Study of Sydney Female Prostitutes. J. Richters, B. Donovan, J. Gerofi and L. Watson. "Low Condom Breakage Rate in Commercial ***" [letter]. Lancet 1988;2:1,487-1,488. Correction by John Gerofi in personal communication to Philip Kestelman, July 1989.
[D] U.S. Clinical Research Participants. M.A. Leeper and M. Conrardy. "Preliminary Evaluation of REALITY, a Condom for Women to Wear." Advances in Contraception 1989;5:229-235.
[E] Study of Atlanta Family Planning Recruits. J. Trussel, D.L. Warner and R.A. Hatcher. "Comdom Performance During Vaginal Intercourse: Comparison of Trojan-Enz and Tactylon Condoms." Contraception 1992;45:11-19.
[F] Study of Atlanta Family Planning Recruits. J. Trussel, D.L. Warner and R.A. Hatcher. "Condom Slippage and Breakage Rates." Family Planning Perspectives 1992;24:20-23 (events of breakage and slippage were unambiguously not double counted; slippage rate recalculated from original article and reflects condoms that fell off or slipped down during intercourse or withdrawal).
[G] Study of Southern California Monogamous Couples. A. Nelson, G.S. Bernstein, R. Frezieres, T. Walsh, V. Clark and A. Coulson. "A Study of the Efficacy, Acceptability and Safety of a Non-Latex (Polyurethane) Male Condom; Revised Final Report (N01-HD-1-3109). Bethesda, Maryland: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, September 15, 1997 (events of breakage and slippage were unambiguously not double counted).
[H] Study of North Carolina Monogamous Couples (events of breakage and slippage were unambiguously not double counted; among new condoms used with either no additional lubricant or water-based lubricant, rates recalculated from the original article) .
[ I ] Study of North Carolina Monogamous Couples (breakage rates ranged from 3.5% for a new lot to 18.6% for an 81-month old lot).
[J] Study of North Carolina Monogamous Couples (events of breakage and slippage were unambiguously not double counted).
[K] Study of Southern California Monogamous Couples. A. Nelson, R. Frezieres, T. Walsh, V. Clark and A. Coulson. "A Controlled Randomized Evaluation of a Commercially Available Polyurethane and Latex Condom (Avanti Versus Ramses Sensitol): Final Report (N01- HD-1-3109). Bethesda, Maryland: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, November 6, 1996 (events of breakage and slippage were unambiguously not double counted).
[L] Study of North Carolina Couples Recruited by Mail.
[M] Study of Denmark Female Prostitutes and Male and Female Hospital Staff.
[N] Study of New Zealand Male and Female Family Planning Clinic Clients (events of breakage and slippage were unambiguously not double counted).
[ O ] Study of North Carolina Local Recruits.