Child spacing: What to know about self-injection

As different forms of family planning methods keep evolving over the years, spouses, particularly women, have kept on adapting to and enduring the varied trends.

Notable among the current family planning methods is the self-injection child birth spacing method, which is tremendously gaining ground and acceptance among women.

The self-injection childbirth spacing method refers to contraceptive techniques that involve self-administering injections to prevent pregnancy.

It is the use of injectable contraceptives which contain hormones that prevent ovulation and thicken cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. It has been proven to be effective and convenient, as it allows women to administer the contraceptive themselves, thereby eliminating the need for frequent clinic visits.

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This childbirth spacing method also offers privacy, convenience, and ease of use. The effects of the injection typically last for about three months, after which another injection is required.

While it is still essential to consult a healthcare provider to discuss individual suitability, potential side effects and proper injection techniques in order to get guidance and support throughout the process, the method could however engineer weight gain, mood changes and irregular bleeding. Also, after stopping the injections, fertility typically returns within 6-12 months.

Nonetheless, an increasing number of women have embraced this practice, and in Jos, the Plateau State capital, it is estimated that over 40% of women apply this practice.

This was revealed at the close-out ceremony of the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) project implemented by the Society for Family Health, (SFH) Nigeria, in Jos the state capital.

The event, which was organised by the Plateau State Ministry of Health and the Plateau State Primary Healthcare Board, in collaboration with the Society for Family Health, was aimed at disseminating the State Family Planning/DMPA-SC performance and the DISC project impact.

The sampled women who applied the SI method were drawn from five local government areas of the state – Jos East, Mangu, Bassa Jos South and Jos North.

Speaking at the event, Fidelis Edet of SFH said when they launched the project in the state, for every 100 women who opted for the DMPA-SC as a method of choice, only 17 of them could inject themselves confidently.

But upon completion of the project, he said, they left the state at the point where over 40 of every 100 women who opted for the DMPA-SC as a method of choice could inject themselves confidently.

“Before now, there has been a lot of burden on healthcare services in the delivery point where clients come into the facility to obtain family planning services and this was quite overwhelming because our health manpower is quite low in the country.

“So, one thing that has been innovated in the family planning is the introduction of what we call DMPA-SC which allows the client to self-inject and for every three-month interval, she can be trained to take extra dosages at home and inject herself at the convenience of her home or space.

“We came into the state with Marie Stopes International (MSI) and partnered very closely with the State Ministry of Health and the Primary Healthcare Board and we are here to showcase what we have done supporting the state to achieve in this project of self-injection and DISC.”

Meanwhile, some of the women who testified to the efficacy of the method said it has really boosted their family planning needs in an efficient, simple, less complicated and comfortable way.

The women also called for sustenance of the method and increasing intervention and advocacy of the method to stimulate the interest of more women to embrace it.

One of the women who testified to the effectiveness of the Self-Injection method is Abigail Christopher who lives in Jenta Adamu area of Jos.

She said she already has four children (two boys and two girls) and so desired some kind of family planning, and she was introduced to the self-injection method through one of the community mobilizers.

Abigail said she was introduced to several methods of family planning, but eventually opted for the self-injection because of its simplicity and because it is personally administered by oneself.

According to her, she initially had fears but the community mobilizer counselled her and helped her the first time and thereafter taught her how to be doing it herself without having to come to the clinic and spending her time and transport fare.

“Immediately I began applying the self-injection method at home, I got support from my husband as he too wanted some form of family planning as times are now hard for us to contemplate having another child.

“More often, when my injection is about finishing, it is my husband who reminds me to go and get the next dose, and sometimes he goes to the clinic to get it for me.

“After seeing the efficiency of the self-infection method, I began to talk to the women in our community to try it, and I was able to bring nine women on board who have now embraced the self-injection childbirth spacing method,” she said.

On his part, Abigail’s husband, Mr Christopher, said when his wife explained the method to him, he was initially skeptical, but after he saw how effectively she was doing it and the result, he became very supportive and even collected the number of the mobilizer, Madam Rose, and began going to her to collect the injection for his wife.

He said they have been in the practice now for about four years, and since then they have not noticed any side effects.

In her remarks, the mobilizer, Madam Rose, said they mobilized in two ways, one is a one-on-one visit which is more effective, adding that she now has about 95 women whom she has taught and they have embraced the practice with the help of their husbands.

She said she also mobilized and enlightened the men about the practice because without their approval their wives cannot engage in the method, and that most of the men she has mobilized have become very enthusiastic about it and support their wives all the way.

According to her, many families she has been mentoring have been engaged in the practice for years and there has not been any negative report, except success stories.