Family planning: Yes for Women, No for Men

UNlike women, a greater percentage of men detests the family planning. To many of them, family planning is like a suicide mission which may terminate the life of any man that tries it. As Vanguard went round Ibadan city to seek the opinion of married couples on why some homes don’t subscribe to family planning, various reasons were given. They specifically complained about a particular method called vasectomy which means male sterilization. It is a procedure performed on a man that will permanently keep him from being able to get a woman pregnant.

As for Mr. Sola Adeyemo, South West Bureau chief of The New Telegraph, it is a dangerous venture for a man to present himself on a slaughter slab where surgical operation would be conducted on him without complaining of any illness. Adeyemo said, “For whatever reason, I can’t do it. What for? I cannot predict what will happen tomorrow so it is a risky venture to now submit myself for surgical operation.

We have seen instances where a family lost two out of their three children in a day. what hope do such people have if they had rendered their reproductive organs useless. But, if they are still okay, they can still have more children. Besides, surgical operation, no matter how perfect is, would certainly not make that person a complete human being again. Is it worth the danger all because I want to do family planning?. Also, I am aware that some of these methods have side effects. If I submit myself for this, I learnt it could result into a man getting fatter and fatter. Please, count me out”.

Child spacingpractice

When asked if he could allow his wife to do it, he answered in affirmative saying it is good for a woman but then he can’t allow his wife to do a life threatening one like tying of the ovaries. Other men who spoke also said they could never allow anybody to start cutting their bodies all in the name of family planning. Despite the apathy that men have towards the children spacing practice, the phenomenon is getting more popular in Ibadan due to efforts of primary health professionals who move from house to house to sensitize families why the practice should be given more attention.

In the past, they used to have the belief that children are too many in one’s body and that they would trouble the woman if they were not delivered. South west voice interviewed a 22 year old woman who has got seven children. She said if not for the introduction of family planning by the officials, she would have got many more. Speaking on the issue, Mrs. Elizabeth Ogunsina, a Matron at the Primary Health Centre, Foko, Ibadan, noted that misconception, rumors, taboos and beliefs have made family planning misconstrued and less celebrated by members of the public.

She gave an insight on the much dreaded topic which is now gradually being embraced as a result of its free nature which was made possible by the Nigeria Urban Reproductive Health Initiative. “Thank God for the intervention of NURHI, in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health, that came to Nigeria to sensitize families on the need for family planning. Also, every material and resource given was free and this hastens people to come and plan for their famlies.

Child spacing in Nigeria has really been overlooked at times, because some believe  child bearing is a gift from God and should not be withheld from couples with any scientific measures. As it pleases some, it has also destroyed cordial love between some other families when their wives tend to give birth to children uncontrollably.

Long lastingmethods

In order to enlighten and encourage members of the public, she highlighted the various methods of family planning such as oral pills, the injectable, the insertions, tubal ligation and the implants, the long lasting methods and Intrauterine device for the women. The methods of family planning that are applicable to men Include condom, vasectomy and spermicide. Condom is still the most relevant because vasectomy is a minor surgery which most men don’t like and then the use of spermicide is outdated.

According to Mrs. Kafayatu Monsuru, a trader, a pregnant woman at the Foko Primary Health Centre. “I did family planning so that I will not get pregnant and   to space my children. I did the injectable on my upper arm every month but when I was preparing to get pregnant I stopped going for the injection, It had no side effects and my husband agreed with me, you know some women don’t want to do it because they think they might not see their menstruation on time” she said.

For Mrs. Yekeen Alimat, a teacher who is heavily pregnant with her second child said “some men don’t cater for their children. It is women who cater for them. So I advise women to give birth to the number of children they will be able to cater for. When I came, they just asked me what kind of method I wanted and that was it. “But, now I am happy because proper counselling was done. Also, check up is necessary to know if such woman does not

have any health challenge before any method is used. Women are advised to give family planning its importance because giving birth to a lot of children in this type of country is not advisable”, she advised.