It is a myth that urban women and girls are safe from side effects of illegal abortions and only rural women are subjected to unqualified persons in seedy joints, cashing on their helplessness.
How safe are our urban girls and women?
It is none of our business to ask about the marital status of girls and, whether their parents know about the visit with a purpose to the doctor.
Remember that the kind doctors carrying out abortions as part of their job and doctors also face labels and stigma with targeted remarks from the rival doctors and jealous relatives, who would look at money brought in by doing more work but charging less.
Where and how to create a Balance?
- Combine abortions with educating about safe health.
- Charge less
- Never exploit physically, emotionally or monetarily.
- Stay connected with women through phone after the procedure for at least 10 days
- There is no need for another visit if the procedure is done well.
- Sigma of abortion along with the nasty and poky behaviour of doctor can be off-putting to many women
- They would rather self-medicate than visit a qualified doctor
A 19-year-old DU student popped 30 pills of i-pill, which is meant for emergency contraception only and that too only one pill once in a while, never as a routine contraceptive. I-pill/ unwanted, are loaded with high doses of hormones. So, this girl was rushed from her hostel to the hospital with symptoms of heavy bleeding. and we as doctors have to be sensitive to changing times. As every Girl cannot go to the government hospital for safe MTP.
If private clinics are registered and have friendly doctors and women and doctors become a team plus both are comfortable in interacting with each other, it can be beneficial as one woman refer to many others.
What is Cafeteria Approach?
- Each one has different needs and reasons, so teach them about every method to prevent unwanted pregnancy and to preserve the health of women.
- We cannot generalize women to be Robots
- Local methods though serve as a prevention against STDs carry more than 10% failure rate.
- Intrauterine Devices if fitted properly are Safe
- Low dose hormone pills can be taken for a year only and it is not to be taken by lactating mothers.
- Ligation of men is best for the couple as it is a non-invasive operation, though it is not an operation and person can go to work on the same day unlike ligation in women. Even though carried out by one stitch keyhole surgery carries the risk of failure if a woman does not rest for at least a week and bands slip out due to exertion. Failure of operation can be off-putting to other women who are planning to get a permanent cure for unwanted pregnancies.
- Injectable Contraceptives for 3 months/ a year are loaded with hormones and remember that hormones have lots of side effects.
- Unwanted/ i-pills are only for emergency use and not to be made as a routine.
- DU students have made an NGO- Haiyya. Which means Health over Stigma.
- May students get proper guidance without becoming promiscuous as this phase of life is most productive and youth have to do lots more than fighting misguided 'Diseases' like unwanted pregnancies.