Gynecologists, obstetricians, and infertility experts advise mothers not to use any contraceptive methods on their own until they assess their health.
Due to lack of proper healthcare and awareness, couples and usually women by themselves pick a birth control method and follow it without medical consultation and supervision.
Contraception refers to the methods that mothers use to prevent pregnancy or control birth by stopping the process of descending the egg, preventing fertilization, or preventing implantation of a fertilized egg.
Kezhan Kawa, a gynecological surgeon, obstetrician and infertility specialist, says that choosing the best method to prevent pregnancy can have negative consequences on maternal health if the mother's health and living conditions are not assessed.
The complications may include menstrual irregularities, mental problems and weak sexual desire.
Iraq still has the highest fertility rate in the region, with only 36% of couples relying on modern contraception methods, indicating a need for more accessible family planning services.
Past surveys revealed that the country’s Total Fertility Rate varied between 3.67 up to 4.2 children per woman. Another statistic in Iraq indicates that over 50 percent of women aged 15 to 49 do not want more children or want to space out their births.
Globally, out of 1.9 billion women of reproductive age, 1.1 billion need family planning, with almost 900 million using modern contraceptives.
There are three common types of contraception, each with several methods, and the choice of method depends on the mother's health, Kawa added.
The first type is hormonal contraception, including birth control oral pills taken daily, contraceptive injections given every three months, skin patches and implants inserted in the upper arm, all of which release hormones into the body which lasts three to five years, and Intrauterine Devices IUDs such as vaginal rings inserted into the vagina and changed monthly. Condoms are another type of contraception that also protects against sexually transmitted diseases, while intrauterine tubes are another option.
Kezhan Kawa emphasizes that mothers cannot simply choose one method and declare it the best way. The best method of contraception depends on the woman's health, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
For those who want to avoid hormones and side effects or prefer a long-lasting method without constant monitoring, the intrauterine tube may be a better option.
Iraq’s healthcare system which was once one of the most advanced in the region now is in serious crisis. There’s a shortage of drugs, buildings and the medical staff to administer it. Over the past three decades the country has been ravaged by the Iraqi-Iran war, Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, the ousting of Saddam regime followed by sectarian violence, the war against al-Qaeda and the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The political chaos after 2003, pushed an estimated 15,000 out of 52,000 registered Iraqi doctors to leave the country. The young student doctors primarily seek training and life abroad rather than permanent state employment.
Hormonal methods, such as pills, injections, and implants, can cause menstrual irregularities, breast pain, headaches, mood swings, and changes in sexual desire.
Condoms may cause sensitivity or discomfort during intercourse, while tubal ligation is a permanent method of contraception.
In conclusion, Kawa emphasizes that the best method of contraception should be chosen based on the evaluation of the mother's health.
“Considerations such as high blood pressure, migraines, blood clots, and future plans for children should all be taken into account when selecting a contraception method. “The vaginal ring might be an option then since it is a reversible method.”
In 2019, the Iraqi government allocated just 2.5% of the state’s $106.5 billion budget to its health ministry, while security forces received 18% and the oil ministry 13.5%. The same was true for 2014.
Over the past decade, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that Iraq’s central government has consistently spent far less per capita on healthcare than its much poorer neighbors - $161 per citizen each year on average, compared to Jordan’s $304 and Lebanon’s $649, a report by Reuters found.
