A Review of Contraceptive Prevalence Rates in Afghanistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61438/jsrqj.v8i2.24Keywords:
Contraceptives, Afghanistan, Prevalence, Family PlanningAbstract
Background and Objective: Family planning programs and the use of contraceptives are among the priorities of maternal and child health. Adequate information about the prevalence of family planning programs and contraceptive use in Afghanistan is not readily available. This review attempts to provide an appropriate perspective on the prevalence rates of contraceptive use based on existing data and suggests practical measures to improve the prevalence of contraceptive usage.
Research Method: In this review, data from Google Scholar, PubMed, the Ministry of Public Health website, the World Health Organization, and the National Family Planning Program were utilized. Seven articles published between 2001 and 2023 were selected and analyzed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
Findings: A narrative summary of the results of the selected articles is presented in this paper. According to studies conducted in the country, statistics on the prevalence of contraceptive use show significant differences in comparison to demographic structures. The lowest figure reported in these studies is 10.4%. The utilization of contraceptives is reported as follows: oral contraceptives 38.5%, condoms 30.3%, medroxyprogesterone 17.0%, intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD) 15.6%. Overall, the prevalence rate of contraceptive use in the entire country reaches 15.4%.
Conclusion: In Afghanistan, due to numerous barriers, the use of contraceptives and the gap between pregnancies have not been promoted. Conversely, according to the conservative beliefs of the illiterate segments of society, the use of contraceptives is considered contrary to their religious beliefs and even in conflict with divine instructions. Therefore, it is imperative for policymakers to develop comprehensive and inclusive programs in this regard and seek assistance from religious leaders to align the community with these programs. Ultimately, the entire society needs to be mobilized.
Downloads
References
Alsaleem, M. A., Khalil, S. N., Siddiqui, A. F., Alzahrani, M. M., & Alsaleem, S. A. (2018). Contraceptive use as limiters and spacers among women of reproductive age in southwestern, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Medical Journal, 39(11), 1109–1115. https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2018.11.22817
Delkhosh, M., Merghati Khoei, E., Ardalan, A., Rahimi Foroushani, A., & Gharavi, M. B. (2019). Prevalence of intimate partner violence and reproductive health outcomes among Afghan refugee women in Iran. Health Care for Women International, 40(2), 213–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2018.1529766
FP2020. (2022, May 18). Afghanistan. https://fp2030.org/afghanistan
Gille, H. (1984). Attitudes toward family planning. Draper Fund Report, 13, 3–5.
Islam, Md. K., Haque, Md. R., & Hema, P. S. (2020). Regional variations of contraceptive use in Bangladesh: A disaggregate analysis by place of residence. PLOS ONE, 15(3), e0230143. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230143
Jacobsen, H. B. (2016). Contraception, Abortion and Assisted Fertility Among Muslim Women A Look at Islamic Culture and Policy in Iran and Afghanistan. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:34931040
Macnab, A., Aria, W., & Freitas, J. de. (2019). Engaging Afghan men at a societal level to increase women’s access to contraception. Medicine Anthropology Theory, 6(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.17157/mat.6.4.732
Packer, C. A., Rastagar, S. H., Chen, M., Bernholc, A., Hemat, S., Seddiqi, S., McIntosh, R., Costenbader, E., & Todd, C. S. (2020). Factors associated with reported modern contraceptive use among married men in Afghanistan. Reproductive Health, 17(1), 64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-020-0908-1
Piran, P. (2004). Effects of Social Interaction between Afghan Refugees and Iranians on Reproductive Health Attitudes: Effects of Social Interaction between Afghan Refugees and Iranians on RH Attitudes. Disasters, 28(3), 283–293. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0361-3666.2004.00259.x
Sato, M. (2007). Challenges and successes in family planning in Afghanistan. Manag Sci Heal, 6(6).
Sediqi, W. (2017). Utilization of family planning Methods in Kabul. Journal Of Applied Dental and Medical Sciences, 3, 2.
Shafiqullah, H., Morita, A., Nakamura, K., & Seino, K. (2018). The family planning conundrum in Afghanistan. Health Promotion International, 33(2), 311–317. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daw081
Stone, R. A., Graham, S., & Kerr, G. B. (1974). Commercial Distribution of Contraceptives in Afghanistan: Actual and Potential Use of the Pharmaceutical Marketing System. Studies in Family Planning, 5(3), 83–89. https://doi.org/10.2307/1964943
Tober, D. M., Taghdisi, M.-H., & Jalali, M. (2006). “Fewer children, better life” or “as many as God wants”? Family planning among low-income Iranian and Afghan refugee families in Isfahan, Iran. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 20(1), 50–71. https://doi.org/10.1525/maq.2006.20.1.50
Todd, C. S., Isley, M. M., Ahmadzai, M., Azfar, P., Atiqzai, F., Smith, J. M., Ghazanfar, S. A. S., Strathdee, S. A., & Miller, S. (2008). Cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with prior contraceptive use among hospitalized obstetric patients in Kabul, Afghanistan. Contraception, 78(3), 249–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2008.05.005
Van Egmond, K., Bosmans, M., Naeem, A. J., Claeys, P., Verstraelen, H., & Temmerman, M. (2004). Reproductive Health in Afghanistan: Results of a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Survey among Afghan Women in Kabul: Results of a KAP Survey among Afghan Women in Kabul. Disasters, 28(3), 269–282. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0361-3666.2004.00258.x
WHO. (2022). The Ministry of Public Health and WHO take action to strengthen family planning services in Afghanistan. https://www.who.int/about/accountability/results/who-results-report-2020-mtr/country-story/2021/afghanistan
WHO. (2023). Family planning/contraception methods. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/family-planning-contraception
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Jami Scientific Research Quarterly Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.