The COVID 19 pandemic sprang up several disruptions in healthcare for women. Those seeking reproductive health management had to face different problems. Instances of unwanted pregnancies increased, leaving females without adequate access to contraceptives and abortions.
Given the risk of infection and related impact on health, it had become mandatory for women to restrict unwanted pregnancies. But services to manage pregnancies too faced sanctions during a lockdown. People who could easily visit hospitals and pharmacies, would not do it anymore.
This was basically because of the fear of catching the infection. Also, most of the healthcare units made it necessary for patients to get a CoronaVirus test report before admitting them in-house. Gradually as the world moved towards lifting lockdowns, medical accessories and medications became more easily accessible.
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Disruptions in Access to MTP Kit Abortion Pills
Now, women can buy MTP Kit online or even get abortion pills from nearby health centers. However, when the Corona Virus infection was at its peak, this was hardly possible. Though internet stores were still open to serving patients, the logistics were heavily disturbed in the pandemic era.
Even when everyone around the world can move in their cities freely, and resume normal life, things are not the same. Women still find it hard to obtain MTP Kit, which contains Mifepristone and Misoprostol abortion pills. So, females who want to cope up with an unwanted pregnancy have no choice but to opt for a full-term pregnancy and childbirth.
Women could not even obtain birth control pills or methods to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. But now even these medicines are available at nearest pharmacies and internet outlets. For those wanting to eliminate the pregnancy, abortion pills were the last resort with surgical abortions regulations.
How to Manage a Pregnancy?
As Covid – 19 dilemma mounts, women still have a choice to manage their reproductive health. Here is what is possible:
1. Birth Control Methods
These days, individuals can take either hormonal or non-hormonal contraceptives. For instance, birth control pills, skin patches, injections, IUDs, etc work well to prevent pregnancy. Non-hormonal means include condoms, copper IUD’s, abstinence, family planning, and others.
2. Ending a Pregnancy
Females can eliminate a pregnancy after conceiving. In early pregnancy, MTP Kit abortion pills give a natural miscarriage-like experience. Or, one can even switch to surgical abortion after the first trimester. Abortion pills give women more comfort due to privacy, secured access, and lack of interference from others.
In surgical pregnancy termination, either dilation and curettage or evacuation techniques are used to empty the uterus. But for this treatment, one has to visit a hospital and go through the procedure but if one takes abortion pills, it is possible to initiate the process at home.
Problems Leading to Unwanted Pregnancies
In remote areas, access to methods to stop a pregnancy from happening is more difficult. With a lack of healthcare facilities, women find it harder to take measures to restrict a pregnancy. Because of this, females get pregnant often. And even if they do not want to carry out a pregnancy, they have to go through it.
1. Unsafe Abortion Methods
Even abortion services are not available. Or even if they are, professionals or certified individuals are not easily reachable. Thus, women have to either undergo a full-term pregnancy or resort to unsafe methods of pregnancy termination. In remote regions, practitioners use tools for surgery that have no approval to be used for surgery.
Most of the abortions happen with the use of crude instruments like metallic hangers, unsterilized scissors, etc. This leaves room for dangerous infections and often leads to the death of the woman. The fear of death and unsafe abortion, push females to a greater number of unwanted pregnancies.
2. Belief on Myths and False Information
The men are also not much interested to learn about birth control methods they can use. Many are not keen on using condoms or sterilizing themselves despite having several kids. They regard it as disapproving of their masculinity and have all types of irrelevant beliefs.
Together it damages the reproductive health of a woman and her choice to have any say in pregnancy or intimacy. Even a female is not allowed to take birth control pills if available. There are taboos and rumors around these medicines. Many think it will take away their ability to get pregnant again.
The same belief surrounds the use of MTP Kit abortion pills. All due to lack of education and awareness about pregnancy management.
How to Improve Availability of Birth Control Pills and Abortion Pills?
Now that we realize that the availability of services for women’s health is a necessity, what shall we do next? Especially the Covid-19 pandemic demands this as mandatory or the world population will keep on increasing unexpectedly. Moreover, the collapse of healthcare is not an impossible idea in such circumstances.
Women are the first in line to take the brunt if this happens. Along with their health, they will have to suffer from pregnancy complications, especially if it is an unwanted one. Thus, the only solution that remains is to improve access to birth control and abortion methods. Since, pills are easy to remember, obtain, and consume, let’s stick to them.
People should be made aware of what birth control is and different ways to stop a pregnancy from happening. Women must know the proper way of taking oral contraceptives. More healthcare centers that address women’s health are also a necessary aspect.
Surgical abortions must happen at safe and registered/certified clinics. Professionals and trained surgeons must participate in the process. If a female is interested in MTP Kit pills, then she can even take them at home. Healthcare units must keep Mifepristone and Misoprostol pills for women who need them.
Well-equipped medical equipment must be present at the hospitals to conduct tests that confirm a female’s pregnancy. Tools to ascertain the length of pregnancy, condition of the pregnant person, and fetus should be there as well. Thus, laboratory services are also mandatory.
Final Thoughts
In the Covid pandemic period, we have seen a spurt in the number of unwanted pregnancies. Several factors are responsible for it. The two primary reasons for this scenario are – lack of access to birth control and abortion methods. Thus, the state must focus to close the loopholes and enhance the reach of healthcare professionals to women who need services for family and pregnancy planning.
