Family Planning:
The Contraceptive Prevalence and Fertility Determinants Survey
(1990) revealed that only 6.7% of the Gambian
population uses
contraceptives. Although agencies such as The Gambia Family Planning
Association (GFPA) encourage the use of
contraceptives, family planning continues to meet with resistance for
a number of reasons. One major factor that affects the utilization of
contraceptives is the husband’s role in determining the
family size.
Many husbands do not support the use birth control because they desire
to have many children. Another deterrent to family planning is the
practice of polygamy. In fact, over half of married women and over a
third of married men are in a polygamous relationship.
Finally, many feel that family planning goes against the teaching of
Islam and the Koran. The Islamic Sharia Law encourages a pro-natalist
attitude and a preference for male children. A woman’s age and
educational status figure into her attitudes about family because a
woman with little education or who marries at an early age is likely
to have more children. According to the WHO, in 2004, the birth rate was
4.6. Many West African women still desire to have reproductive freedom and
choose to take advantage of family planning methods, such as the pill, which is usually offered
free of charge and without a prescription.
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Condom & Birth Control:
Condoms are available at Family Planning clinics. Survey data
indicate that contraceptive and condom use is low but is rising
in The Gambia. The contraceptive prevalence rate for modern
methods is about 13 percent (UNFPA, 2001 and Maternal Mortality
Survey, 2002). Condom use (for family planning and/or STI/HIV/AIDS
prevention) accounts for less than a quarter of modern method
use (UNFPA). While condoms are not a popular family planning
method, there is growing evidence that condom use is increasing
for STI/HIV/AIDS prevention, especially among youth. A
survey estimated condom use at 34 percent among 1,000 unmarried
youth (NACP, 2001).
Depo - Provera
injections are also available. By far the most popular form of birth
control is breast feeding, which is effective for about two years. 15%
of single females have been pregnant once and over 65% of these
pregnancies were unplanned. A legal abortion is
attainable, but two doctors must concur in order for a woman to have a
therapeutic abortion.
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