Tanzania has joined globe to commemorate the World Contraception Day (WCD) that takes place annually on September 26.
The commemoration provides a wonderful opportunity to advocate on the importance of access to contraception and to enable young people to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.
More than 1.8 billion women and girls are in the reproductive age group, yet most of them face barriers that include lack of access to family planning information and services.
In Tanzania, only 32 percent of women in the reproductive age are using modern methods of family planning while 22 percent have an unmet need for the services.
Maternal mortality in Tanzania rose to 556 deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2015 from 454 deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2010.
Given prevailing norms that expose girls to early sex and child marriages, 27 percent of adolescent girls aged between 15 and 19 years are pregnant or have begun childbearing.
As a result, they face increased risks of miscarriages, unsafe abortions, other forms of maternal morbidity and mortality due to complications of pregnancy and births. In addition to that, women and girls fail to fulfil their development dreams and suffer from exclusion in participating fully in economic activities and decision-making bodies because of their inability to manage their fertility.
In a move to get detailed information about on how women and girls understand contraceptive and various method women they have choose and why, Your Health spoke to a cross section of women who had to answer some of the questions.
Veronica Tumaini, 26
Q: What’s your understanding of contraception?
A: Contraception is a birth control method that women and girls use to prevent themselves to get unwanted pregnancies until they are ready.
Q: What method have you chosen to use and why?
A: I decided to choose and use the injectable (depo-provera) contraceptive because it is the simplest method, because once one gets injected, they can stay for a longer period without visiting the hospital.
My mother advised me to go the hospital to seek family planning advice. My husband did not like the idea of child spacing so I am now using birth control with him knowing.
Q: Have you ever used any other methods before? What were the effects?
A: This is my first time to use such contraception. Since I was injected in November last year I have never experienced any effects.
At the moment I am comfortable using the injectable method because it has not given me any negative side effect and I still believe it the easiest method. Like in my case where my husband does not want to use contraception, it is easy to get this kind of family planning so that he does not find out.
Q: Did you find medical counselling to help you choose the best method for you?
A: Yes, the health provider helped me to choose this method. When I went to the hospital, the nurse asked why I wanted contraception so I explained clearly. After some thorough questions, I settled for the injection.
Esther Logan
Esther Logan (33) is from Kawawa village in Dodoma had something to share on her understanding of contraception.
Q: What’s your understanding of contraception?
A: In my understanding, contraception is the use medications to control the birth of children. It is mostly used by women and girls who are not ready get pregnant or those who intend to space out their children for them to get enough rest and participate in other economic actives.
Q: What method have you chosen to use and why?
A: At first I used the implant method however, I was forced to change to another method because of ARV medication. Since I am HIV/AIDS positive the implant gave me headaches and I felt dizzy all the time.
The doctors had advised me to use the arm implant and they had said it was the right one for me to use but three months later, I developed these intense headaches and dizziness so I went back to the hospital and they gave me other options.
I decided to use contraceptives when I took my son to the clinic for his under-five check-up. The nurse in charge had a session with me on contraception.
Q: Did you find medical counselling to help you choose the best method for you?
A: Yes, medical counselling plays a vital role in helping to women receive the best method of contraception. I can give a good example of myself, at first I chose the implant but they said it was not suitable for me on medical grounds.
So the counselling helped me to choose another contraception which is Intrauterine Device (IUD)
The anti-contraceptive woman
Q: What’s your understanding of contraception?
A: Although I don’t use any family planning methods, in my understanding, contraception is a way of preventing women and girls who are not ready to get pregnant.
Q: What has led to your current perception of contraception?
A: I don’t take contraception because it changes the body of most women who take it and they become fat.
In addition to that, when you want get a child it becomes difficult to conceive because the body has already consumed a lot of that medication.
Q: Do you think you would be open to using any should there be a method good enough?
A: Apart from the withdrawal method, I don’t think I can ever be ready to use any other form of contraception because I have seen a number of women using family planning and the effects they get. My husband and I have agreed to use the withdrawal method (traditional).
Dr Elizabeth Kalinga
Q: What do you look at when you are counselling a woman on the best contraceptive methods?
A: At the Makuburi Health Service Centre, I am the medical doctor in charge and to us, family planning services are critical towards achieving major health goals especially in maternal and child health.
It significantly contributes to reducing maternal mortality by about 44 percent and helps in lowering child deaths.
The services are integral to economic growth, poverty and hunger reduction, combating HIV/AIDS, promoting gender equity, empowering women and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Before we offer any contraceptive methods to our patients, we have to ensure that we conduct thorough tests to ensure that the woman is not pregnant.
The height, weight, medical background of patient also determine which kind of medical contraceptive we can prescribe for each patient.
Q: Besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, what other benefits do contraceptives have?
A: There are various benefits of contraceptives, some of which include reducing sexually transmitted diseases especially for those who use condoms as birth control. They also help in reducing the risks of suffering from cervical cancer.
It helps women to participate in and contribute to the economy of the country as they practice child spacing.
Q: Do you always explain clearly the difference between hormonal and non-hormonal options as choices?
A: Yes, it is very important to explain, clearly, the differences between hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptives before administering them.
They are both a safe and reliable way to prevent unwanted and unplanned pregnancies for most people.
Hormonal contraceptives are the major methods opted for by women, most of whom tend go for implants, skin patches, contraceptive pills and injections.
Non-hormonal contraceptives are another birth control alternative and are equally as good because they do not alter a woman’s hormones.
Condoms are a well-known type, but there are many other such as such as the copper intrauterine device as well as the calendar and withdrawal options.
