The burden of birth control is on women alone.

Publish: 12:37 AM, December 27, 2022 | Update: 12:37 AM, December 27, 2022

Pinky Akter : Karimunnnesa age 25 of Jhenaidah district. Married for 5 years. Has two children. But now both husband and wife have decided to take a break.

After going to the doctor, she prescribed an injection to be taken every three months. But since she started taking it, she has had to endure various side effects. Such as obesity, bloating, abdominal pain, and other health-related problems.

She said, ‘When I went to the doctor about this, I was told that this is happening because of taking birth control injections.’

Karimunnecha said that her husband is not interested in using any method. A little embarrassed, she said, “He doesn’t want to use a condom. She says he doesn’t like using a condom. So I’m using this method.”

It is not only Karimunnesai but visiting the various villages of Jhinadah district, it is known that women are responsible for using birth control methods.

Not only in remote areas but also in urban areas, it is known that birth control systems are mostly used by women.

Talking to a few men about this, most of them said, “Using methods is the woman’s responsibility. She has to maintain everything. It’s the woman’s responsibility because she has everything. That’s why she gets pregnant.”

Hossain Mia works in a private company in Dhaka. When asked about men’s responsibility in using birth control, he said, ‘I know only about condoms for men, but I can’t tell if my wife should take pills. ‘

Maleka Banu, general secretary of Bangladesh Women’s Council, said that many men do not know about birth control methods because there is no campaign for men and there are more methods and materials available for women. Because socially it is considered a woman’s responsibility. It is also reflected in the state program.
All but two of the methods couples are encouraged to use in government family planning programs are for women. It is clear just by browsing the website of the family planning department of the government. Methods mentioned include birth control pills, copper tea, birth control injections, ligation, and birth control implants placed under the skin. All these are for women. And for men, condoms and vasectomy are mentioned.
According to the information of the Directorate of Family Planning, the most used birth control implant in Bangladesh. Then there are copper tees and injections.

Side effects are also written in the leaflet available on the website for each procedure.
For example, using Copper-T can cause lower abdominal pain, and regular spotting bleeding. Sometimes inflammation can occur. Birth control capsules placed under the skin can cause irregular periods or heavy bleeding. May cause headaches. Weight gain may occur. Female users also have similar problems with injections. Diet pills affect hormones. Menstruation decreases. The vagina becomes dry.

A recent study by the non-governmental organization Samgira Kari found that more than 98 percent of women are using birth control.

This information was found in the research conducted on violence against women and reproductive health during the corona period in 26 upazilas of the country. This research was led by Zubaida Nasreen, a teacher at the Anthropology Department of Dhaka University.

She says they found a variety of common misconceptions about men’s responsibility to use birth control. He was referring to male procedure condoms and vasectomy.
“There are myths about condoms such as the condom going into the stomach, tears, and the slippery material in the condom being harmful. There are also some myths about vasectomy locally. Such as the virility is gone. The man’s physical strength will decrease. His sexual energy will decrease. will become irritated. Men’s importance will decrease. Their value will decrease in society and the world. Women feel the same.”

Zubaida Nasreen also said that the use of condoms is encouraged in Bangladesh as a means of getting rid of sexually transmitted diseases. Not as a birth control method.

Globally, there has been more campaigning and investment in birth control methods for women. Research into the effectiveness of birth control methods and the discovery of new methods has also been done with the female body in mind.

In 2019, the first male birth control pill was initially tested as safe for the human body, but it has not been released to the market.
Shaswati Biplab, head of the social empowerment program at the non-governmental development organization BRAC, says that beyond the social perception that women will use birth control because they will become pregnant, there are also commercial interests involved. And that’s why birth control systems are created with women’s bodies in mind.
In his words, “A woman is able to conceive a child at a certain time of the month and not the rest of the time. And once she is pregnant, she cannot reproduce for the rest of the year. But a man is always able. If you think about it, birth control methods are more for men. Recommended. But the people who make and sell birth control do market research. They know what will sell best. Men’s methods won’t sell. They know women’s will sell best.”

In general, women do not have the power to make independent decisions about the use of birth control methods. Disadvantages are rarely reported in government campaigns on birth control.
Women have to shoulder the burden of birth control by bearing the painful side effects and stress of routine use. This is seen in both societal and state policies.