By: Yusuf Abdulbasit Hozaifah
In a society where traditional methods of child spacing once dominated, modern contraceptive methods are gradually gaining acceptance among women who seek to balance motherhood with personal and family goals while avoiding the risk of complications from family planning procedures.
For Saratu Ganiyu, a mother of six, family planning was a necessity rather than a choice. Growing up, she was familiar with traditional methods like counting days, using rings and beads to track fertility. However, after giving birth to her fourth child, she opted for injectable contraception, a three-month dosage that she has relied on ever since.
“I take the injection every three months, and thankfully, I have not experienced any side effects,” Saratu said. “The spacing of my children varies, but I ensured that I had a proper gap between them. Before my fifth child, my husband and I had an agreement: he would not be intimate with me until I stopped breastfeeding. If we ignored that, pregnancy would follow.”
Despite learning about other modern contraceptive methods, such as implants and insertions, Saratu remains skeptical. “I have heard of pills, implants, and even devices inserted into the private parts, but I am afraid of those. That’s why I stick to what works for me—the injections.”
Similar to Saratu, Munirat Waheed, another mother in the community, decided to take a different route. With the desire to space her children and meet her husband’s expectations, she opted for an implant contraceptive that lasted three years.
“I did it because I wanted to put a gap between my children’s births while also ensuring that I satisfied my husband,” Munirat explained. “At first, I was worried about side effects, but to my surprise, I didn’t experience any issues. The implant gave me the freedom to focus on raising my child properly before having another.”
Munirat believes that family planning has made her parenting experience easier, allowing her to be more intentional about her children’s upbringing.
Risikat Tajudeen, a mother of three, has taken a different approach. Unlike Saratu and Munirat, she relies on contraceptive pills, taking them before or after intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
“I take the pills as needed, and so far, I have not had any problems,” Risikat shared. “I have three children, and I had them when I wanted. I make sure that I plan properly while also maintaining a good relationship with my husband.”
She believes that the flexibility of pills has allowed her to manage her reproductive health without long-term commitments to other contraceptive methods.
WHO Statistics on Family Planning Choices
According to the World Health Organization, the number of women desiring to use family planning has drastically increased over the past twenty years, from 900 million in 2000 to nearly 1.1 billion in 2021.
Between 2000 and 2020, WHO recorded that the number of women using a modern contraceptive method increased from 663 million to 851 million. The contraceptive prevalence rate (the percentage of women aged 15–49 who use any contraceptive method) also increased from 47.7 to 49.0%. 70 million women were further predicted to be added by 2030.
The report also shows that the proportion of women of reproductive age (aged 15–49 years) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods was 77.5% globally in 2022, with a 10% increase since 1990 (67%)
Expert Opinion: The Necessity of Family Planning
Dr. Kingsley, a medical professional, highlighted the various family planning methods, ranking them from the least to the most effective. He explained that while some methods, such as fertility tracking and withdrawal, are less reliable, others, like hormonal implants, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and sterilization, offer higher effectiveness in preventing unintended pregnancies.
Emphasizing the importance of family planning in society, Dr. Kingsley explained that it plays a crucial role in reducing maternal mortality, preventing unintended pregnancies, and promoting economic stability.
Additionally, he pointed out that uncontrolled population growth could burden the economy.
“When families have too many children unintentionally, it affects resources such as healthcare, education, and job opportunities. Family planning contributes to a more sustainable economy by ensuring that parents can properly provide for their children,” Dr. Kingsley added.
Religious’ Stake on Family Planning
Ustaz Ibrahim Ridwanullahi, a religious expert, has addressed the issue surrounding family planning in Islam, emphasizing that the most authentic and reliable scholarly opinion deems it permissible under specific conditions. According to Ibrahim, Islamic teachings allow family planning in cases where a man is incapable of bearing the financial and social responsibilities of raising a child or when there is a fear for the woman's health.
Noting that this practice existed during the time of the Prophet Muhammad, he went further to reference an incident in which a man approached the Prophet and expressed concern about his female servant becoming pregnant. The Prophet permitted him to practice ‘azl (coitus interruptus), a method of contraception where a man withdraws before ejaculation to prevent pregnancy. However, the Prophet also reminded him that even with this practice, what has been divinely decreed will still come to pass.
The expert concluded by reaffirming that family planning is allowed in Islam under certain circumstances; nevertheless, it must be approached with the understanding that the divine plans will ultimately prevail.
Hephzibah Grace Aduragbemi, a Christian expert, explained the ordeal behind family planning in Christianity, emphasizing that Christianity generally discourages the use of contraceptives. Hephzibah said one of God’s commandments to humanity, as seen in the creation of Adam and Eve, is to "be fruitful and multiply." This, she argues, suggests that intentionally preventing childbirth contradicts biblical teachings.
While stating that natural methods can be used by couples to space their children without relying on artificial contraception. She explained that methods such as tracking ovulation and abstaining from intercourse during fertile periods are a typical natural approach for those who wish to manage childbirth while staying within the perceived boundaries of Christian doctrine.
On a final note, the expert clearly pointed out that family planning is not biblically endorsed, especially considering the potential side effects associated with contraceptive methods. She also went further to emphasize that prayer is a powerful tool for believers, stating that if one prays with faith not to conceive, God can answer such prayers.
However, it is important to note that perspectives on family planning vary among Christian denominations. While some reaffirm that faith, prayer, and natural methods remain the most acceptable ways for Christians to manage childbirth in line with biblical principles, some families subscribe to the modernized contraception method for both health safety and healthy parenting.
A 35-year-old Christian mother, Deborah Makinde, had two children and planned to stop having more. Funny enough, six years later, she was surprised by an unplanned pregnancy with twins. Feeling overwhelmed, she struggled with the news and even harmed herself in an attempt to miscarry. Fortunately, she carried the pregnancy to term and safely delivered the twins.
Determined to prevent further unexpected pregnancies, Deborah opted for tubal ligation, a permanent method of family planning. Bringing back her experience, she expressed how family planning has helped her take control of her reproductive health. Initially, she had relied on natural family planning methods early in her marriage, which led to unintended pregnancies. Eventually, she decided to switch to tubal sterilization for a more permanent solution.
Meanwhile, Dr Kingsley has shed more light on the importance of family planning in the society, and the crucial role it plays in reducing maternal mortality, preventing unintended pregnancies, while fostering economic stabilities. In his words, he stated that;
“Family planning helps to reduce maternal deaths by allowing women to space their pregnancies safely. It also prevents families from having more children than they can adequately care for, thereby reducing financial strain and ensuring better quality of life.”