KABUL (SW) – A number of women acknowledge the effectiveness of birth control methods but report experiencing significant health issues such as severe headaches, irritability, depression, and weight gain due to contraceptive pills, implants and capsules.
Obstetricians also confirm that the use of contraceptive pills can indeed result in various health complications for women.
Aadela, a 27-year-old mother of four, says that three of her children are closely spaced, and after a three-year gap, her fourth child was also born. She adds that her child has health problems, and she uses contraceptive injections to space her births, which have caused her nervous issues.
“I had twice injections, but I didn’t use them anymore. Now my child’s head is heavy and swollen. I didn’t feel good with the injections (syringes), but it caused me nerve problems, however, the IUD devoice was fine for me. I get angry easily, I lose patience, and the noise from my husband and kids bothers me,” Adela explained.
Sayera, who has 10 children, says that contraceptive methods have led to back pain, adding, “I had back pain about three or four months after using it, so I stopped using it.”
Asma, who used contraceptive pills for five years, states she has experienced severe headaches and weight gain: “I was using these contraceptive pills, and they made me gain a lot of weight. I had headaches that were unbearable. I was on those contraceptive pills for about five years.”
Similarly, Hamida and Salma, who have also used contraceptive pills, say they faced various health problems including weight gain and severe irritability during their use:
Hamida shared: “I myself used contraceptive pills for about two years or more and gained a lot of weight during that time. I had some headaches, and I didn’t understand why I was losing my patience. Now I don’t use them.”
“I used tablets about ten years ago, which made me very overweight and very angry,” Salma said.
Zeenat, who used contraceptive injections for six months, discusses the health challenges that arose for her: “I personally used injection for six months that made me gain weight and caused severe headaches, lethargy, and dizziness. I then tried pills, but unfortunately, they also made me gain weight, so I stopped using them. It has been almost six years since I have used any pills.”
Meanwhile, obstetricians acknowledge that while methods for spacing births are important, contraceptive methods can cause health problems for women.
Najwa Fazal, an obstetrician at Malalai Hospital, says contraceptive pills can lead to health challenges for women. However, if used according to the advice of doctors, these medications can help prevent health issues.
“The contraceptive pills used for spacing births contain different hormones, which can lead to mood changes. But with the consultation of a specialized obstetrician, these problems can be somewhat resolved and based on the symptoms and the appearance of the patient, it is decided which type of medication to use,” she said.
Abeda Reha, another obstetrician, states that contraceptive methods can cause mood changes, skin changes, bleeding, weight gain, and headaches in women.
She added: “Hormonal methods have side effects; patients may experience spotting, heavy bleeding, or mood changes. For example, they might say they became irritable after starting the pills or devices, and if it becomes severe, they should consult a doctor. These changes in women aren’t too significant; for instance, they might gain two to three kilograms in a year.”
Madina Ayubi, a midwife at Malalai Hospital, mentions that prior to implementing contraceptive methods, women are counseled. “During counseling, we ask patients if they have headaches or any other issues. We explain the methods available and see what they are comfortable with. After they choose, we provide a little follow-up counseling to ensure they understand what they might experience.”
Maryam, the clinic manager at the Family Guidance Association in Malalai Hospital, says that about 60-70 women visit the hospital daily for contraception and birth spacing.
Nonetheless, Malalai Rahim Faizi, the director of Malalai Hospital, told Salam Watandar that over the course of a month, they have provided counseling to more than 3,000 women.
“Within a month, we provided counseling to 3,151 individuals. Of those who used pills, 1,542 people were on them, while 171 used capsules, and 44 used what people commonly refer to as IUDs, and 1,938 people used condoms. Those who consulted us after childbirth totaled 1,747 individuals, though we currently do not have annual statistics.”
However, specialists and obstetricians believe that women should seek guidance from family planning associations before using various contraceptive methods to space their births.
