The freedom of fertile couples to choose their contraception is still being adjusted based on the results of their health screening and applicable conditions, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) has said.
“Mothers who have just given birth can choose between long- or short-term contraception, though they certainly have to consult health workers,” BKKBN’s family planning and reproductive health deputy, Eni Gustina, said during an event held to mark World Contraception Day, which was streamed online on Friday.
The agency is continuing to adjust itself to technological development to ensure family comfort while pushing for improvement in human resources’ quality, she added.
Existing contraceptives are available in various types and are of good quality. They comprise injections, implants, intrauterine devices (IUDs), pills, and condoms. Contraceptive devices are usually installed once every month or three months.
Improving the quality of family planning and increasing the types of contraceptives available are part of efforts to persuade mothers to use contraception promptly after giving birth.
While mothers have the freedom to choose the type of contraceptives, their installation still depends on their health condition to prevent unwanted incidents, such as allergies, Gustina emphasized.
During consultations, health workers perform a health screening of mothers and educate them about the benefits of family planning and the types of family planning that they can choose from, she informed.
They are educated on matters such as how to use contraception, their side effects, and how to recover them, as a form of fulfilling women’s 12 rights over reproduction, she added.
“If, for instance, they have certain diseases, they cannot use hormonal contraception,” she said.
During the event, Gustani also highlighted that, when using family planning, all women should pay attention to their weight since that will affect the effectiveness of the contraceptive in preventing pregnancy.
“Contraceptives are created based on the average weight. If women are too heavy, hormones released by the contraceptive can no longer protect them from becoming pregnant,” she explained.
Source: Antara News