Condom use plummets among Argentine youth, experts warn of 'disastrous consequences'

Condoms have largely vanished from public spaces and family conversations in Argentina, a stark contrast to their prominent role in the 1990s fight against the AIDS epidemic. Parents, like Germán and Sofía, find themselves uncertain about how to discuss safe sex with their teenage son, Facundo, reflecting a broader societal shift.

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I guess he knows what he has to do. And if not, he'll buy some around there.

Globally, condom purchases have fallen by 30%, according to the UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2025. In Argentina, industry figures suggest a similar or even greater decline. This drop is linked to a combination of economic, health, political, generational, and social factors, including changing cultural norms and the increased use of alternative contraceptive methods.

Data from AIDS Healthcare Foundation Argentina (AHF Argentina) reveals a dramatic decrease in condom use. Only 15% of individuals seeking HIV tests used condoms during their last sexual encounter, with 20% reporting never using them. This is a sharp decline from 2012, when 40% of those tested reported using condoms, according to Miguel Pedrola, head of AHF Argentina.

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He doesn't even carry a wallet.

Experts worry that these figures are even more concerning for adolescents. While teenage pregnancies have fallen by 66% since 2014, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia are on the rise due to unprotected sex. This shift suggests a generation less fearful of AIDS and more reliant on other methods for pregnancy prevention, potentially overlooking the continued risk of STIs.

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Only 15% of people who come for an HIV test used a condom in their last sexual relationship.