E-PILLS NOT A FAMILY PLANNING METHOD, MEDICS WARNS
Posted by African Press International on June 10, 2013
- By Maurice Alal, API Kenya
They are worried that despite the increasing popularity of the drugs among the sexually active group, there was little understanding on their working and side effects, so much so that most users had turned them into a family planning tool.
As such, the medics are now demanding that aggressive sensitization on the drugs, popularly referred to as the Morning-After-Pills, be mounted in the region to raise the level of awareness.
“It is important for this sensitization because these people do not know,” says Dr Paul Mitei, a Gynecologist and Deputy Director for Medical Services,Kisumu County. He suggests that schools, colleges and other public places should be targeted with the awareness creation information on the availability and correct usage of these pills.
His comments come against the backdrop of chilling statistics that indicate a huge rise in demand of these pills among an increasingly sexually active group of Nyanza’s populace.
At a Chemist outlet located in Maseno township in the vicinity of Maseno University the owner tells African Press(API) that in less than two weeks, they sell over 1000 doses of emergency contraceptive pill called Postinor 2 that is popular among the students eager not to conceive after having unprotected sex.
“We have booming business especially when the students are here,” says
Lamek Otieno. Demand for the E-pills starts from Thursdays towards the weekends but peaks on Mondays after the weekend.
Most of these ladies are in the age bracket of 18 and above, therefore they prefer going to local chemist which most of them are operated by those who are not qualified health providers.
This shows that a lot of sex happens towards weekends, from Friday to Saturday especially in night clubs, mostly attended by the students.
In Kisumu City, the same story replays. A spot check shows that the pills are increasing getting popular among the sexually active age group.
The interesting aspect of this demand is that although the emergency pills are offered free of charge at government hospitals, not many of these users choose to get them from there and instead settle for the over-the-counter self prescription purchases from, drugs shops some of which are run by unqualified personnel.
Perhaps this has to do with the stringent check measures attached on those seeking the pills from the public hospitals so much so that they would rather go where no questions are asked.
E- Pills are given for free in public hospitals after the users are interviewed and counseled. The pills are mostly used in rape and defilement clinics.
The easy availability of the pills means they can easily get carried away to have unprotected sex,” she posits. She suggests that parents should be frank and advise their children on the dangers of early sex and the need for proper protection.
The now popular e-pill is recommended to be taken within 120 hours of having unprotected sex, but is most effective if taken within 72 hours. But in Nyanza there is a thin line between its proper usage and abuse.
The most popular E-pill, Postinor 2 (P2) should to be taken within 120 hours of having unprotected sex, but is most effective if taken within 72 hours.
The pills prevent ovulation from taking place. The hormones contained in the pill prevent pregnancy by suppressing the pituary glands which stops^ development and release of the egg in the ovary, medics say.
How¬ever, in cases where ovulation has already taken place, the pills change the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation from taking place.
Dr Mitei explains that E-pills make the lining of the uterus not responsive to implantation. He says women in their reproductive age can use E-pills to prevent un-wanted pregnancies on instructions from a certified medical practitioner since fertility starts as early as the age of nine.
However, Dr Mitei warns that people with hypertension, obesity and people of varicose veins (abnormally swollen veins) are not advised to use these pills. He explains that if one makes it a habit of using E pills, they suppress the work of the ovum which later on may forget its work and this might cause infertility in a woman.
“As much as one would want to use them, they should bear in mind that they have a high chance of contracting STDs and HIV/AIDS unless one uses a condom,” she says.
Conversely, there is a misconception that by using E pills one will be carrying out an abortion. The medics discount this saying E pill is used to prevent the pregnancy from occurring and will not have an effect once the pregnancy has already taken place.
“People using them should follow instructions and be careful not to damage their reproductive system,” she says. A Kisumu resident,
Unfriendly health services to blame on misuse of E pills
Lack of youth friendly integrated health services in most Kenyan medical facilities has been blamed for the increase of contraceptive abuse among high school girls.
Medical practitioners say school girls abuse family planning methods because they lack proper information on how and by whom the contraceptives are used.
Most hospitals in the country do not have Sexual Reproductive Health experts to ensure the youth are well guided on the dangers of contraceptive use in their young age.
The 2008 /2009 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) indicates that the use of modern contraceptives among adolescents aged between 15 and 19 is at 36.5 percent with majority 39 percent using the injectable.
The survey showed that Central region was leading with 57.5 % of the adolescents using modern contraceptive method while Rift Valley was the lowest at 24 percent in all the provinces nationwide.
The survey further indicated that more educated adolescents who are more educated, richer, living in the urban areas and married have higher use compared to their counterpart.
Researchers points out that most hospitals lack that facility where the youth can freely obtain information. “Lack of information has led the girls and their mothers to buy the contraceptives from across the counter,” they say.
A Reproductive Health consultant with the United Nations Population Fund, Dr Dan Okoro says although the KDHS showed that public, health facilities were the major source of the contraceptives, the emergency pills are mostly provided by the private sector, especially pharmacies.
“Even if a girl wanted counseling on a SRH-related issue, she may lack confidence because the facility environment favours married women,” says Mary Okiya, a high school student in Homabay County.
She observes that even the pictures in the family planning facility discourage young girls from sitting in the queue to be attended to.
“They are pictures of pregnant mothers, mothers carrying their babies or accompanied by their spouses.
Because of this young are discouraged from seeking for guidance and counseling session with health providers. The medics now call for the government to improve family planning services to adolescents saying that they need information on the subject.
However, health providers have also called upon Nyanza residents to embrace family planning methods to enable them have children they are able to educate and provide for.
“Family planning methods enable the government to budget well for her people,” researchers say adding that if the rate of birth is not controlled then the country will not meet the demands of the populace.
They add that family planning services are offered free of charge in public health facility and called upon residents to take advantage of that to improve their living standards.
All Kenyans are affected by the nation’s rapid population growth, which has nearly doubled to 38.6 million people over the last two decades and is estimated to grow to 71.5 by 2030.
Without Family planning methods a decrease in the number of births per woman, this level of growth will push the country’s economy, social services and natural resources past their limit and threaten the achievement of the national goals outlined in the Kenya’s vision 2030.