World Contraception Day: Making Informed Choices On Pregnancy!

September 26th each year is World Contraception Day. The day underlines the need for better planning which can indirectly also help families to lift themselves out of poverty by having children as they desire and not by mistake. The goal of this year’s day is to increase public understanding of contraception and the different methods available. Campaigns carried out aim at increasing people’s knowledge of birth control options so that women and their partners can make an educated choice about their reproductive health. This is aimed at improving sex education so that no pregnancy is unintended or unwanted. Couples, particularly women, have several methods to adopt as birth control options among which;

Long-Acting Reversible Contraception

Specialists say long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) could be intra uterine device, which lasts for three, five to ten years and the implants which last for five years. Medics say once a woman has a LARC put in, they do not need to remember to take contraception every day or every month. It is reported that LARCs are the most effective types of contraception, as they are more than 99 per cent effective at preventing pregnancy.

Hormonal Contraceptives

This is when hormones are used to prevent pregnancy. Some of these hormonal contraceptives include the Pill and the Depo Provera injection. Medically, there are two types of pills: combined oral contraceptive pill and progestogen-only contraceptive pill. Those who opt for this method are required to take one pill each day. Doctors say if a women takes her pill correctly, it is more than 99 per cent effective at preventing pregnancy. The Depo Provera injection is a dose a woman gets every three months. If taken on time, Depo Provera is mor...