From cultural beliefs and bride price entitlement to fears of diminished masculinity and reduced sexual pleasure, many Nigerian husbands reject condoms and vasectomy, leaving their wives to bear the burden of family planning alone. JANET OGUNDEPO reports
When the side effects of several contraceptives she used became too much to bear, a middle-aged mother of four, Amara Nwobi, summoned courage and walked into a registered pharmacy in the Somolu area of Lagos State.
Her goal was to enquire about contraceptive methods she could use to prevent another pregnancy.
As she interacted with the healthcare worker, our correspondent observed that Nwobi was quite knowledgeable about the several planning methods.
Whenever a method was mentioned, she’ll respond, “I don use that one before, I dey react to am.” This means that she has tried several methods and had reactions such as irregular menstruation, constant headaches and bloating.
