Only 30% of women know about emergency contraceptives
Only 30% of women in the country are aware about emergency contraceptives, stakeholders working in the area of family and reproductive health have said. They disclosed this during the dissemination meeting on Levonorgestrel Emergency Contraceptive Pills (LNG-ECPs) training manuals organized by the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) in Abuja. Emergency contraceptives are contraceptives used to prevent […]
Only 30% of women in the country are aware about emergency contraceptives, stakeholders working in the area of family and reproductive health have said.
They disclosed this during the dissemination meeting on Levonorgestrel Emergency Contraceptive Pills (LNG-ECPs) training manuals organized by the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) in Abuja.
Emergency contraceptives are contraceptives used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex , and recommended for victims of rape, incest and women who need to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies.
Mrs Kehinde Osinowo, Director of Programmes , Association for Reproductive and Family and Family Health said there was need to ensure that Nigerian women do not continue to die as a result of unplanned pregnancies.
“Emergency contraceptives offer opportunities to give protection to women who have not been on any contraceptive and are subjected to unprotected sex. Some women became pregnant when raped, this can be averted. Women at risk of assault in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and other places could prevent unwanted pregnancies. Emergency contraceptives can mitigate the effect of unprotected intercourse,” she said.
She said the use of emergency contraceptives among Nigerian women was barely 2.8 %, adding that there was an association between knowledge and use.
She said the manual and handbook were developed by the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) with support from the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception (ICEC) and Management Sciences for Health (MSH). It is aimed at building the capacity of health providers.
Dr Titi Duro Aina , National Programme analyst for Family Planning and Maternal Health, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said there was need for policy makers and partners to improve information dissemination to women on emergency contraceptives to enable them understand it, and disabuse their minds on the myths surrounding it.
She said: “The Emergency Contraceptives Trainers’ Manual and handbook will also go a long way in informing the service providers who are the closest people to the women, to inform them better and get them to use it , thus preventing unwanted pregnancies and the need to resort to unwanted abortions.”
Dr Kayode Afolabi, Director Reproductive Health, Federal Ministry of Health said there was high access to emergency contraceptives in private hospitals but low access in public hospitals because women who needed them were not aware that they were available in public health facilities , adding that there was need to create awareness.
A participant, Sadatu Nataala, family planning state coordinator, Kano, State said the training has updated her knowledge and would enable her train more healthcare on providers and other stakeholders on emergency contraceptives.