World Vision Burundi advocates for efficient birth spacing methods
As a controversial debate on contraceptive methods is still going, World Vision Burundi (WVB) advises users to opt for efficient choices. A local Media and Research Centre interviewed Dr. Jean Hatsindimana, Senior Technical Manager at WVB for clarifications on WVB position on the controversy.
In the following interview, Media and Communication Research Centre will be referred to us CERCOM and Doctor Jean Hatsindimana will be referred to as Dr Jean
CERCOM: There are religious denominations that are partnering with WVB in a birth spacing project that are against modern contraceptive methods and prefer natural methods only. What is WV’s position?
Dr Jean: Our shared objective is an ideal spacing of pregnancies for the sake of mother and child health. Whatever methods used, we share the same objective with those denominations. What comes after, is finding out together, which method is efficient than the other. The mother has to conceive her first pregnancy after the age of 18. It is better to ensure that there is at least a two year period between a birth and another and the mother should not conceive after the age of 35. Those are the things we agree on. Now what are the efficient methods? They are those, a mother can understand, choose and control. I am talking about a mother but ideally it is the couple which is concerned. There are efficient methods which are likely to succeed at more than 90 per cent. As far as World Vision is concerned, there is also a biblical logic. We read in 1 Timothy 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”. We do not want more unbelievers than Christians. Here in Burundi, we witness an increasing number of families that are facing problems of providing care to members of their households. That is due to lack of birth control mainly. It is better to sensitize the community to choose between the natural method, if this is efficient for the couple or the modern methods if the couple considers it to be rather more efficient for them.
CERCOM: There are some who suggest couples to make morning analyses of cervical mucus.
Dr Jean: The analysis of cervical mucus is one of the natural methods.But this method requires tough controlling conditions. If there is cycle’s change, it is difficult for a woman of a rural area to be aware of that change. And, when there is a change in that cycle, the method is no longer efficient. In short, stress, illness, change in meals can change the menstrual cycle. I am not against the use of the natural method, however, the rate of failure is high.
CERCOM: What about the coitus interruptus suggested by Muslims?
Dr Jean: Thismethod is the most wide-open to failures in birth spacing control.Normally, the probability for sperms not to enter woman’s genitals during intercourse is very negligible.
CERCOM: Roman Catholics consider tubal ligation and vasectomy to be practices that do not respect human dignity.
Dr Jean: Life is always a choice. If someone has a health problem which needs surgery, and as we know surgery has always risks, has he to endure the problem they have or they have to undergo an operation? It is the same thing with vasectomy. It is a family choice, vasectomy is a simple operation and it has less risks.
CERCOM: Some side effects are been said on some modern methods like overweight, risk of cancer…What is the truth?
Dr Jean: Anything that enters our body, even food, has positive and negative effects. The modern contraceptive methods, pills, subcutaneous implants, intra-uterine devices… some of them have minor side effects. It is the same for medicinal products; but if you compare, there are many advantages than disadvantages. If I give you an example to help people understand more, we cannot tell to people with diabetes not to take insulin even though it has side effects; we cannot tell people to totally abstain themselves from eating sugary foods even though we know that one day they could be attacked by diabetes. Even if those methods can have some controllable side effects, they have benefits. Above birth spacing, they can prevent cervical cancer, breast cancer, cancer of the uterus…People have the tendency to see a drop of problems in an ocean of benefits.
CERCOM: Are side effects covered by your birth spacing project?
Dr Jean: I can say that the side effects are minor and in most cases people can cover themselves expenses related to them.For example, if during menstruations there is a lot of blood loss that may result in anemia, with 1,000 BIF (~$50 cents), the patient can get a medicine that stops bleeding. But covering a malformation or a child malnutrition is very far expensive. If the side effects are serious, health structures help patients change the method.
Interview by Jacques Bukuru, Media & communication Reseach Centre