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BBC Pidgin of Saturday, 30 September 2023

Source: BBC

Why birth control pills dey cause side effects for women?

Contraceptives dey different types for women to use Contraceptives dey different types for women to use

Contraceptives don become important issue for couples, especially women wey dey use am to space out births and plan dia family life.

Di types of drugs include different methods, ranging from oral drugs to injections and condoms as well as implants wey dem dey put for women bodi among odas.

Many women see di benefits of using birth control pills, but some say dem dey face many problems wey come after dem use am.

Some of di problems some women dey face as a result of using contraceptives include; menstrual problems and extra weight gain.

Some also dey get breast pain, headaches, decreased sexual desire, discharge from di genitals, etc.

Di challenge of fertility drugs

Hajiya Maryam, a 34-year-old woman with 3 children, say she bin dey use birth control pills for about eight years, and na she and her husband agree to use am.

"I marry wen I dey 25 years old, before I marry, I bin no get any weight, until I enta my husband room four months ago and get pregnant," Maryam tok.

"Afta I born eight months ago, I suddenly get belle again, and dat one come unplanned, and I know say my husband bin no happy about am."

"Afta dat, my husband say make we go hospital and see doctor so dem go place us on di birth spacing program."

Among di different interval plans wey di doctor show di couple, Maryam decide to receive injections evri three months.

However, di first injection wey dem give Maryam make her vomit a lot and suffer stomach pain, although, afta a week, she feel say her body condition don return to normal.

"Afta three months, I go back to di hospital to get anoda injection, but e make me vomit again and get stomach aches."

Anoda challenge wey Maryam face na say one year afta her injection, she stop to dey see her period on time.

"I come dey see my period like once in three months. Wen I complain to di doctor, e say dat wan no be problem. I wish e no go come to dat.

"Afta about two and a half years of starting di contraceptive injection, I notice say I dey gain a lot of weight, e start to worry me."

"I complain to my husband say di birth control pills dey make me gain weight, but e say no, na me dey chop-chop."

Maryam say e come make her dey ashamed and come dey bring problem between her husband and her. She even feel like say her husband dey avoid her, and e no wan to dey close to her.

"My husband no dey tok to me, but once, e tell me say I don lose my passion and my happiness don reduce."

"Evritin don change, e no dey like before wen im dey stick to me"

She say afta four years of injecting, she get belle again and give birth to two children.

Maryam say she no happy about di birth control pills wey make her feel ashamed to go out and even if she dey with her husband, she no dey di way she used to.

Faiza wey be 28 years old tell BBC say since she start to take birth control pills, she no dey see her periods properly. She say she dey get her period once evri six months

"Wen I see say di problems I dey face plenti, I go back to di hospital and ask di doctor to change my plan,"

"At first I no feel anytin, I no vomit, I no lose any weight, but afta a few months, I start to feel a lot of desire"

"I notice say my mood dey change well-well, my mood go dey sad, I no wan to be close to my husband, even if im come look for me, I go just lie down for am to meet im needs, wey no go also dey pleasant for am. One month, e go dey very low, den e go rise again."

Faiza say di situation no dey very pleasant for her, but she thank God say her husband dey understanding.

A lot of women dey face various problems with birth control pills and at di same time, e get some wey no dey face any problem or di problem no dey serious.

Wetin doctor tok?

Dr Kabir Dara, Senior Gynecologist for Dara Specialist Hospital, Katsina tell BBC say birth control drugs dey problematic but some of di tins wey dem dey tok no get anytin to do with dis drugs.

E say birth control pills na chemicals, so some women must get changes and e depend on di type of woman wey take di drugs.

E add say dis na di reason dem dey advise pipo to first consult with experts to see which one dey suitable for dem to use.

"Dis medicines dey divided into different types. E get di one wey di women go do, e dey temporary and she fit change am and she fit give birth, and di oda one dey permanent, wey be say if woman do am, she no go give birth again."

"Internal contraceptives dey like oral drugs and pills, e get di one wey dem dey put inside di womb, and den e get di one wey dem dey place under di skin, and all of dem dey related to di ability of days, months, or age.

"Contraceptive pills get different colours, e get one wey wen dem give am to a woman even if she dey breastfeed. Dis one dey more suitable for many women becos e get ingredients wey dey similar to di woman body"

"Dis cells dey prevent eggs from coming, and if di eggs no come, dia is no way for a woman to get pregnant. E dey safer and dem dey take am daily."

But di doctor say di problem with dis cells na say dem fit get side effects like headache, tiredness, and feeling like you dey bloated, or fat or skinny.

Di doctor add say change in di menstrual cycle dey more likely to be for di contraceptive wey dey injected or injected under di skin.

E say di methods of injecting or inserting under di skin fit prevent a woman from getting pregnant and na to prevent di eggs from coming, but e dey also take time, and di method e dey follow na to burn di body of di uterus, so if di body of di uterus burn, she no go get her period for months.

"If a woman no menstruate for months, she go notice say wen e come back, e fit come in pieces."

"Dis no be di normal kind wey dem dey take evri day. Dis na just di prescribed one. E dey take time before e go start to work. Di condition of di blood in di human body go determine how di medicine go start to work."

"And di one wey dem dey place in di womb, e no dey prevent di egg from coming. Wen di egg come, e need to pass, and di uterus go disturb di menstrual flow, and e go result to uterine pain."

"And since e get a thread, wey dem dey use to ensure say e dey dia, sometimes if a woman no dey clean, dis thread fit take wetin dey outside of her and bring am into di uterus and make her get infection."

Di issue of palava between husband and wife, dis medicines no dey do am, na so di doctor tok, and e say e dey increase desire.

Dr. Kabir suggest say husband and wife must talk and understand each oda and agree with each oda before making any decision about di use of contraceptives.

"Sometimes, na di husband wey dey force di woman to go and use di drugs, and maybe di woman no want to do am, in dat case, no harmony dey between dem."

"As long as she want to get pregnant, and di husband no want, and dem no tok about am to get understanding or reconciliation, dia must be a problem or change at home."