Health: Information on effective, safe reproductive health methods

Reproductive health methods such as Family Planning and several birth control methods are important public health measures impacting social issues as poverty and child health. The legal, political, and logistical availability of contraceptive services has an influence on the health of the individual, their relationships, the family, and the community. The coordinator of Rwanda Denmark health project Dr Stephen Sabiti says that his project has for the last four years focused on Family Planning as a tool for promoting social living of rural citizens and serve health purposes as well. The Rwanda Denmark health project is a cooperation between two countries, Rwanda and Denmark, through a medical students’ organization (MEDSAR) and international medical cooperation committee. Dr. Sabiti explains that Family planning helps women, men, and teens choose the timing of their future pregnancies. Family planning promotes the well being of the family by giving couples the opportunity to time pregnancies when they are best able to care for them. The commonly taught measures include; the cervical cap, condoms, contraceptive patch, the diaphragm and others to mention but a few. The cervical cap is a small latex cup that a woman inserts into her vagina before sexual intercourse. The cervical cap fits snugly over the woman’s cervix. It is smaller than the diaphragm and is used with spermicidal cream or jelly. The cervical cap works by blocking sperm from entering the uterus. Condoms are thin barriers made of latex, plastic, or natural membranes. They look like long, thin, deflated balloons. There are both male and female condoms. The male condom fits over a man’s penis. The female condom fits inside a woman’s vagina. Both male and female condoms work by preventing sperm from entering the vagina and reaching an ovum. The contraceptive patch is a thin plastic patch about the size of a matchbox that a woman wears on her skin to prevent pregnancy. The patch contains hormones just like the ones in most birth control pills. It releases these hormones through the skin and into the bloodstream. Instead of taking a pill everyday, a woman sticks on a new patch each week. The patch works mainly by preventing the ovary from releasing an egg. The diaphragm is a soft, latex dome that a woman inserts into her vagina before sexual intercourse. It fits over the cervix and is held in place by her vaginal muscles. It always needs to be used with spermicidal cream or jelly. The diaphragm works by blocking the opening to the uterus so that sperm cannot enter. Depo-Provera is a shot that a woman gets 4 times a year (every 12 weeks) to prevent pregnancy. It contains medicine that is like progesterone, a hormone that is naturally present in a woman’s body. The shot works mainly by preventing the ovary from releasing an egg. Doctor Sabiti also reveals that today many people prefer the morning pill. It’s mainly termed as the ‘morning after pill’. This is a special dose of birth control pills that prevents pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. The sooner this pill is taken, the more effective it is. This pill is very safe. It is not an abortion pill. It works mainly by preventing the ovary from releasing an egg. Also important to mention here are birth control pills. These are pills that a woman takes daily to prevent pregnancy. They are made of hormones similar to those naturally found in a woman’s body. The Pill works mainly by preventing the ovary from releasing an egg. Spermicide is a chemical that kills sperm. It comes in different forms: foams, film, creams, jellies, and suppositories. A woman inserts spermicide deep into her vagina just before having sexual intercourse. Spermicides provide some pregnancy protection when used alone, but they are much more effective when used with another method, like the condom, diaphragm, or cervical cap. There is also female sterilisation scientifically termed as tubal ligation. Female sterilisation is a form of permanent birth control. This means it is not reversible. A tubal ligation is a minor operation that blocks a woman’s fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry the egg to the uterus). Female sterilisation works by blocking the egg from reaching sperm. The vaginal contraceptive ring is also another birth control method that has not yet been introduced in our society. The Ring is a small, flexible plastic ring about 2 inches wide that a woman places in her vagina each month to prevent pregnancy. The Ring contains hormones just like the ones in most birth control pills. It releases these hormones into a woman’s body through her vagina. Instead of taking a pill every day, a woman puts in a new ring each month. The Ring works mainly by preventing the ovary from releasing an egg. Finally, Male sterilisation or Vasectomy is a form of permanent birth control. This means it is not reversible. A vasectomy is a simple operation that blocks the tubes that carry sperm from the man’s testes to his penis. Male sterilisation works by blocking the sperm from leaving the man’s body. Owing to the great strains on the economic, social and other spheres resulting from poor population management, perhaps these Family Planning methods should be taught to as many households as possible. Better still, they should be part of the Primary education curriculum since many are prone to drop out of school after that level. Ends