Lagos Women Comfortable With Family Planning

More Lagos Women are expressing their joy at embracing modern family planning methods to make their families comfortable.
These women told Healthstyleplus in separate interviews at two health facilities in Lagos that though they have been beaten by the economic realities of the times but are surely not defeated.

Their reality plan is to ensure they survive all traumatic conditions especially their maternal health, within their ability, to embrace and be comfortable with using modern methods of family planning.

Mrs. Taiwo Olubunmi is 38 and though has four children but she realized that to safeguard her life and the future of her children, she needs not produce more mouths to feed.
As a measure to plan her life and those of the family, she approached the Primary Healthcare Centre at Mascara, Ketu in Lagos for adoption of a long-lasting family planning method. She thereafter, settled for the implant.
Speaking to Healthstyleplus, Olubunmi said, “I opted for the implant six weeks after I had my last child in 2017 and I can attest that since it was inserted, I have not felt any side effects and honestly, I have been enjoying my sexual life with my husband. Sadly, before embracing the modern method of family planning, Olubunmi told our Correspondent, “I have had two unsafe abortions before this last child because, I didn’t want the pregnancy”.
Another home maker, Oluwatoyin Ajewole has had her implant done for five years and she is very happy and comfortable to share her experience with our correspondent who was on the media team of the Pathfinders International to the Health Centre in Lagos.
Ajewole has six children, the eldest been 32 years old when she had found herself pregnant at a time her daughter just had her first child.
“It was embarrassing for me because I did not know about modern methods of family planning. I was later introduced to modern contraceptives and I started by taking injection for three months.

“My husband did not initially like the idea but now, he is in support of steps to plan the future with contraception and honestly, my husband and I have been enjoying our sexual life.

Adewole has also advised her sister to go for a Family Planning method.

She said, “I wish the government can introduce the 10-year long lasting plan” Ajewole told Healthstyleplus.
49-year old Usman Aishat was initially skeptical about taking on modern contraceptive because of the many myths she was exposed to from friends and neighbors.
“I honestly enjoy having unprotected sex with my husband and would fall pregnant at the slightest opportunity. Already, I have eight children and it has not been easy looking after all of them. But two years ago, I was introduced to family planning and modern contraceptives during antenatal classes. I used to afraid of any form of contraception because of testimonies I have heard about side effects. Since I chose the injection, I have not fallen pregnant for two years now.
Mrs Adeyemi Temitope is another mother of two who was at the clinic to share her experience. An accountant with a multinational company, Honeywell told our Correspondent she is a new convert to family planning method and had her implant inserted just six months previously.
“When I came for my postnatal checkup six months ago, I was required to take some tests to determine which contraceptive method was suitable for me. The implant I chose was just okay and so, I had it inserted into me. In the first month I saw some blood droplet which I was told is normal that my body would soon adjust, and it has since adjusted, and I do not have any complaint whatsoever about the implant.
I am enjoying myself, I am looking fresh and better, I enjoy every style of sex with my husband without complaining”, said Temitope.
According to the Nigeria Demographic Health Survey, (NDHS) 2013, Lagos State has an indicator value of 5,460,712 women in reproductive age bracket and only 26.4 % of this figure that is, about 1.44m of the women use some form of modern method of contraceptives in the state while 48.3 that is, about 2.6m of all women in the reproductive age group use any kind of contraceptive method they can lay their hands on to prevent pregnancy.
Despite the Contraceptive prevalent rate still at 48.3 percent, at least 11.8 % of all married women of reproductive age group in Lagos State that is, 644, 364 still have unmet needs. They really want to take up one form of contraceptive method but have no access while another 8.1 % that is, 422, 317 of all women in the reproductive age group in the state want to use some form of contraceptives but their needs are largely unmet.
However, with the support of Pathfinder International in the State, the likelihood of meeting it 74% target by 2010 is high.
According to the State Director, Family Health, Dr. Folashade Oludara, the stakes are high to commit more resources in 2018 budget to Family Planning in the state and the budget line for commodities and consumables have been introduced to ensure that all the 286 Primary Healthcare Centers in the state are kitted with commodities made affordable and accessible to women of reproductive age group.