Seogwipo, South Korea: As the world's top condom experts convene this week to update international standards, one American entrepreneur has a simple message: Size matters.

It's shaking up an industry that has generally taken a one-size-fits-all approach. Frank Sadlo, founder of TheyFit, which makes what he claims are the world's first custom-fit condoms, is pushing for updated standards to allow greater variation in condom size.

When given a choice, he said many men prefer condoms smaller than the standard minimum 160 millimeters (6.3 inches) long, with more than half ordering those less than 130 millimeters (5.12 inches).

Standards are especially crucial; failure could mean the spread of potentially deadly diseases or unwanted pregnancy.

The length issue is just one of many being debated at the five-day meeting, the 24th such session since 1975, where delegates were creating new standards for synthetic and female condoms.

Female condoms are seeing increasing use in Africa, where they are often distributed for free so women can take control of disease prevention, said Matondo. Innovation for male condoms has focused on adding textures to enhance sexual pleasure, or offering different colors or lubricants.

Sadlo said his inspiration for custom condoms arose from his days playing baseball at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, where locker room tales of exploits with the opposite sex often failed to include use of condoms due to complaints they did not fit.

A more comfortable condom contributes to men actually using them, said Michael Reece, director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University.

He said men also have problems with condoms being too large. "It is time for those who establish condom manufacturing standards to consider whether an expanded range of condom sizes is necessary," Reece said.

Changing international standard would make it easier to widely offer the product, rather than seeking approval in each country.