27 June 2004	Sunday	08 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, June 26: Speakers at a public awareness seminar, highlighting the impact of repeated pregnancies on women's health, have stressed the need of sensitizing both women and health care providers regarding importance of proper use of contraceptives.

Speaking at the session on "Women's Health -Contraceptive Options" held at the Ziauddin Medical University on Saturday, a panel of experts mentioned that proper and cautious use of hormonal methods to delay pregnancies, also cast a positive impact on women's general health.

It was, however, strongly recommended that the women, before using these contraceptives, if possible, should undergo necessary physical assessment, while concerned health care providers must acquire family medical history of the concerned women and brief them about the possible side-effects as well as contraindications of the contraceptives.

Acknowledging the fact that for the women belonging to remote areas it would be difficult to realize the required protection against the possible side-effects, the seminar observed that proper training and education of LHWs and LHVs could be of significance.

The seminar chaired by Prof Sadiqa Jafery and conducted by Dr Jawed Usman was addressed by Dr Shireen Bhutta, Dr Razia Qadir and Dr Rubina Hussein. Presentations were followed by a discussion and experts, including the speakers, besides Dr Nisar Fatima and Dr Saida Siddiqui, responded to queries raised by community women, junior doctors, family physicians, besides lady health workers and lady health visitors.

Dr Razia Qadir, referring to high incidence of anaemia among local women, particularly those in child-bearing age, mentioned that use of oral contraceptives by mothers could be an effective measure to contain anaemia, which otherwise enhanced risk to other health conditions.

She said oral contraceptives also protected women against dysmenorrhoea, ovarian cyst, besides ovarian and endomenthral cancers.

The speaker on the occasion, referring to contraindications of the contraceptives, referred to the possibility of coronary artery disease, chronic liver disease, besides certain other conditions.

Dr Rubina Hussein, on the occasion, reminded that female contraception involved both hormonal and non-hormonal methods, adding that hormonal methods, which included oral, implants and injectables, were the most commonly used methods.

Mentioning that non-hormonal methods included natural, chemical, and mechanical methods, IUCD and Sterilization, she said that the natural methods of contraception, though being safe and cost-effective, were not so reliable.

The doctor said that mechanical barrier as condoms, diaphragm and cervical caps were more reliable, however, last of the two options were said to be not available in the country.

Prof Sadiqa Jaffery, in her concluding remarks, mentioning that no mode could be termed 100 per cent safe and there were also side-effects of these methods, maintained that these might differ from person to person.

With regard to application of contraceptive on life-long basis, she said any woman willing to have interval in deliveries or desirous of avoiding any more pregnancies, could avail options, which were again available in a wide range.-APP