Contraception and the Nigerian woman

 So this post was inspired by a recent visit to Nigeria. The statistics for unwanted pregnancies and/or abandoned babies is alarming and the truth is they are preventable.

A brief data gathering exercise from the women that surrounded me at a point in time revealed that the average woman was not armed with enough information to choose the right contraception and consistently access and use this method. It was sad that a few teenagers I spoke to viewed contraception as either condoms or ‘Postinor’.

The average age of first sexual intercourse is around 15, according to the World Bank, in many communities talking about sex before marriage is taboo or ungodly and contraception is believed to encourage promiscuity amongst the youth. It is important however for women in the world today including Nigeria to arm themselves with information and take control of their sexual health.

Another barrier to women accessing contraception is the notion that it is expensive; However Postinor-2 is priced at $1.20, while Pregnon is priced at $0.30 (Gynopedia.org/Nigeria)

There are different methods of contraception. The type that works best for you will depend on your health and circumstances.

Contraception can either be Short Acting or Long-acting.

Short Acting

• Symptothermal method of natural family planning (daily monitoring of body temperature and cervical mucus). This method is controversial and requires good research and dedication. It is 98% effective when used according to teaching instructions. It is a difficult method to implement and I personally never recommend it.
• Diaphragm or cap with spermicide (every time you have sex)-92-96% effective when used correctly
• Condoms (used during sexual intercourse)-There are male and female condoms, however male condoms are more popular and a lot of people will be familiar with this method. When used correctly, this method is 95-98% effective. It is easily accessible and is the only method that will also protect against STIs
•  The combined pill (taken every day for three weeks out of every month)- This is another popular method and if used correctly is 99% effective but about 95% effective with typical use. This method relies on organisational skills as it requires consistency with taking the pill daily on recommended days. This method could also be used as a treatment option for women with heavy and painful periods or fibroids. See your doctor before commencing this method as it is not recommended in some women.
•  The progestogen-only pill (taken every day)-This method is also 99% effective when used correctly. Again it relies on organisation and dedication. It is the preferred method in most cases where the combined pill cannot be used.
• The contraceptive patch (renewed each week for three weeks in every month) –This method can be used if there is an issue with compliance as it is replaced weekly.it is 99% effective when used correctly.
• The contraceptive injection (renewed every eight weeks or every 12 weeks, depending on the type)- This is also 99% effective with correct use.

Long Acting- These methods are usually more than 99% effective with recommended use.

• contraceptive implant (lasts up to three years)
• intrauterine system, or IUS (up to five years)
• intrauterine device, or IUD, also called the coil (up to five to 10 years)
• female sterilisation (permanent)
• male sterilisation or vasectomy (permanent)

Notice how I have not elaborated on individual methods. This is because each method will need to be discussed with your family doctor, knowledgeable nurse or pharmacist before they are commenced. It is important that a detailed medical history is taken and counselling also occurs so that women know what to do when they have either missed a pill or have concerns regarding their chosen method.

If unprotected sexual intercourse does occur, women can still buy the emergency contraceptive pill some of which can be used up to 5 days post intercourse-this will be a separate post.

Remember, the only way to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is to use a condom every time you have sex. Other methods of contraception prevent pregnancy, but they don't protect against STIs.

‘Postinor’ and ‘Pregnon’-Brands of Emergency contraception.