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MEN WHO DO NOT LET THEIR WIVES USE CONTRACEPTIVES: In countries
where society encourages equality for women, family planning is usually well
accepted. But conflicts often arise where male domination is strong. Health
workers may ask, “What do I do when a woman wants or needs to avoid another
pregnancy, but her husband will not agree to let her use contraceptives?”
From our own experience in Latin America, where this problem is common,
we have found that husbands are usually more considerate if an effort is made to
discuss the issues with them from the first. When possible, include men as well
as women in discussions about family planning.
Family planning is far more likely to be successful when both
parents make the decision together and share the responsibility.
There are many ways that a man can share the responsibility for family planning.
He can remind his wife to take the pill each day, or check to make sure that she has
put in her diaphragm. Or he can take even greater responsibility by buying and using
condoms—or choosing to have a vasectomy (male sterilization).
Nevertheless, sometimes a man may refuse to let his wife take steps to avoid
pregnancy. The woman may come to the health worker asking that her use of
contraceptives be kept secret from her husband. In some parts of the world, this
problem provides one of the strongest arguments for injectable contraceptives like
Depo-Provera. Many women say that the injection, given once every 3 months, is
the form of birth control that is easiest to keep secret from their husbands.
These situations must be
handled with sensitivity. How
health workers deal with them will
depend on local factors and, in
each case, the individual couple’s
relationship.
There are no easy answers. But
it is easy to make mistakes. For
example, a health worker might try
to talk a husband into cooperating,
but by revealing the wife’s
intention to use birth control,
cause her to be severely beaten.
We have seen this happen.
Exploring some of the
possibilities through group
discussion and role playing will
help prepare health workers for
these difficult situations—some of
which are sure to arise.
Role plays or sociodramas help prepare health
workers to handle difficult problems in their
communities.