World Contraception Day, celebrated on 26th September of every year, aims to raise awareness around contraceptives and their significance.
Ritu and Rohan Srivastava were thriving in their marriage, with everything falling perfectly into place. Their careers were taking off, they had exciting travel plans, and starting a family was something they'd envisioned for later. Ritu had just landed a promotion and was set to relocate to a new city. But life threw them an unexpected curveball when Ritu began feeling dizzy and fatigued. A visit to the doctor revealed surprising news—they were going to be parents sooner than they’d planned. This unplanned pregnancy not only disrupted their immediate plans but forced them to reconsider their future goals. Dreams of travel and career moves were now on hold as they faced the emotional and practical challenges of becoming parents.
Sana, an IT professional in Delhi, and her husband Ravi took a different approach to their future. With both determined to focus on their careers and personal aspirations, they made the mutual decision to use contraceptives to delay parenthood. This allowed them to continue chasing their goals without the fear of unplanned surprises, giving them the freedom to build the life they’d carefully mapped out.
The above scenarios emphasise on the imperativeness of using contraceptives and how it can help in making free choices responsibly. In support of this, World Contraception Day is observed on September 26 to serve as a gentle reminder that reliable contraception is more than just pregnancy prevention; it's about empowering individuals to take charge of their bodies and futures.
Keep reading to know the significance of world contraception day, and how proper reproductive health services are related to your sexual health and individual autonomy.
Contraception is a way of preventing pregnancy and making informed decision about family planning. It can be a medication, a device, a procedure or a behaviour. Contraception empowers individuals to make informed choices about their reproductive health. It gives you the liberty to pursue your dreams unhindered and ensures your physical and emotional well-being while promoting socio-economic development.
World Contraception Day, as an official event, was introduced in 2007. It started as a worldwide campaign where about 10 worldwide agencies of family planning came together to announce the importance of contraceptives. They believed contraception empowers individuals to make informed choices regarding pregnancy.
Today, the initiative enjoys the support of around 15 agencies, including NGOs, governments, health experts, and more. These institutions come together to highlight the importance of sexual education and fair access to sexual health services.
World Contraception Day is much more than just talking about avoiding unwanted pregnancies. The day also aims to raise awareness about STDs or sexually transmitted diseases that can be transferred from one partner to another, or even to the child. Further, contraception and abortion are also related. World Contraception Day strives to reduce the dependence on unsafe or not-so-reliable abortions.
According to a study conducted by WHO, around 2/3rd of women in 36 countries stopped taking contraception because of their fear relating to their side effects. This ultimately led to a rise in unwanted pregnancies, where 1 in every 5 pregnancies was unintended.
Another report by WHO in 2017, revealed how around 214 million women worldwide in their reproductive age struggle with unmet demands of contraception. They struggle with limited access, limited birth control methods, scepticism around side effects, and cultural burdens.
World Contraception Day raises awareness of contraception and family planning. From reducing maternal and pregnancy-related mortality to lowering the cases of contraception and HIV transmissions, family planning ensures enhanced opportunities for women.
There are different birth control options with different effectiveness and actions. Some of the most common options are vaginal rings, implants, contraceptive pills, and withdrawal methods. Here are a few birth control options for different gender and age groups:
Choosing the right type of contraception can be a tricky decision for anyone, especially if you're a teen. Here, you have to consider a variety of other factors like access to contraceptives, your partner's consent, and contraceptive costs. However, there still are a few options that might be the best for you. For example, the most commonly available birth control option for teens is condoms. You don't need any prescription plus reduce your chances of STIs. Other popular options for you include implants and contraceptive pills.
Talking about contraception and birth control, it is quite common to assume that it's a woman’s job. However, that isn't the reality. There are a variety of contraceptive options for men that can be chosen based on the effectiveness you want. For example, condoms are most suitable in terms of accessibility. They are safe, quite effective, and relatively cheap. Additionally, for someone looking for additional protection, spermicide can be also considered. Further, for men looking for a permanent contraception technique, vasectomy can be an ideal option. It is highly effective and does not impact your sexual performance. Other popular methods can be withdrawal, outer-course, and abstinence.
As women, you get a plethora of options to choose from. However, before you pick the best contraception for you, consider understanding different factors like ease of use, side effects, your health, safety, partner's choice, and contraception cost. For long-term effectiveness, you can use contraception implants or intrauterine devices. Injections, pills, and vaginal rings are other popular options. If you want a barrier form of contraception, you may choose condoms or diaphragms. For permanent birth control options like tubal sterilisation is also available. Some of the best contraceptives for women over 30 include progestin or combination pills. Sterilization can also be a great choice if you want permanent riddance.
Now that you know the importance of contraception and reproductive rights, it's time to show some support for World Contraception Day. Here is what you may participate or what you can do on this World Contraception Day:
Consider attending educational events like seminars, workshops, etc. to learn more about reproduction health, its importance, and the way forward.
It's important to preach what you learn. This Contraception Day, don't just hear what others have to say, instead start meaningful conversations on your own. Try discussing the importance of family planning, contraception and STIs, safe sex, and related topics with your friends, family, and partner.
You can also show your support for contraception and the day by supporting your local care centres. Try volunteering in their educational programmes, awareness campaigns, or distributive events related to family planning, contraception and population control.
Don't limit yourself to just your inner circle. Given the digital era we are living in, consider spreading the word on all your social media accounts, share posts and resources, draft messages, and send informative videos on family planning, sexual health, and contraception.
Birth control is the first important step a woman can take toward the goal of her freedom. This choice showcases the impact of contraception on women's empowerment. This Contraception Day, take a step ahead, participate in the awareness events, and say goodbye to unwanted pregnancies and maternal complications.
Care Health Insurance supports the cause and asks the government and society to take necessary steps. Further, with our Maternity plan: Care Joy, we ensure to make pregnancies safer and financially stable for you. With features like cashless hospitalisation, maternity cover, newborn cover, congenital diseases cover, and much more, we aim to make pregnancy happy, wanted, and everything you dreamt of without any financial restrictions.
>> Also Read: What is Reproductive Healthcare and Birth Control?
Disclaimers: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.
Published on 12 Dec 2024
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