Prof. Hassan Abduljabar (left) professor and consultant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital; and Professor Ali Kubba, consultant community gynecologist, Guy's and St Thomas Hospitals, London JEDDAH — Contraception extends well beyond a married woman's decision whether and when to conceive, and access to reliable family planning goes deeper than a woman's personal wellbeing. It plays a pivotal role in the financial, physical and emotional health of children, and data suggest that effective contraception and positive social outcomes are mutually reinforcing. In the end, empowering women—regardless of socioeconomic status — with more options to control pregnancies has benefits for everyone. Professor Ali Kubba, consultant gynecologist at Guy's and St Thomas Hospitals, London, delivering a lecture on women's health, particularly on contraception, at a gathering of medical practitioners held last week at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Jeddah, said the use of reliable contraceptives corrects abnormal problems associated with hormones. At the scientific lecture presented and organized by Professor Hassan Abduljabbar of King Abdulaziz University Hospital in cooperation with Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Saudi Arabia, he said one of the latest inventions that is found safe and effective contraceptive is Implanon NXT, whose “safety and efficacy has been established among women between 18 and 40 years of age.” It is a single-rod subdermal contraceptive implant that is inserted just under the skin of a woman's upper arm and contains etonogestrel. It is a type of long-acting reversible contraception, the most effective form of birth control that is potent for three years from the implant. Both doctors indicated that the possible side effects and complications if ever, are very minimal and not dangerous. According to a 2013 Guttmacher Institute review of more than 66 studies, contraception allows women to be better parents. Among the findings: couples who experience unintended pregnancy and unplanned childbirth are more likely to have depression and anxiety—while adults who plan their children tend to be happier. Relationships are more likely to dissolve after an unplanned birth than a planned one. And those who are unprepared to be parents are more likely to develop a poor relationship with their child. “When you support individuals and families making the right decisions for themselves, we are all better off,” said Adam Sonfield, Guttmacher Institute senior public policy associate and lead author of last year's report on the social and economic benefits of contraception. The use of such contraception even lends support to the Saudi government's thrust of encouraging women to join the workforce and lessen dependence or over-reliance on foreign labor. That way, the Saudi women would also be an essential pillar of sustained Saudi economic expansion. Gradually incorporating Saudi females into the workforce has become an attractive, with large numbers of Saudi women graduating from universities with expectations of employment. The general outlook for employing growing numbers of Saudi women is encouraging, and using a safe and effective contraceptive like Implanon NXT will boost the chances of Saudi married women to enjoy and be successful in her role as a working mother. Hence, access to birth control significantly increases a woman's earning power and narrows the gender pay gap. “It all starts with educational attainment that leads to greater economic stability for women and their families.” Another study says that family planning programs may be an effective way to improve children's economic resources. Contraception, experts say, is not simply about avoiding pregnancy. Access to reliable birth control also allows women to space births which has measurable outcomes for their own health and that of their babies. Poorer children experience more health problems and have higher rates of delayed academic development. Those from poorer households in the long run, have lower test scores, are less likely to complete education, limiting their earning potential as adults. Multiple studies have shown the adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes related to closely spaced pregnancies, ranging from placenta abruption to lower birth weight. Moreover, experts noted that pregnant women who have diseases contribute to higher-risk pregnancies — like hypertension and diabetes— and this occurrence can be checked with the use of contraception. “Pregnancy can exacerbate existing health conditions,” they said, therefore, all the more women should be able to choose if and when to become pregnant. — SG
