By Johnson Kanyesige
Experts at the Ministry of Health have revealed that out of the 1.5 million babies delivered in Uganda every year, over 675,000 result from unintended pregnancies. This is 45% of all the deliveries.
During a media engagement, Dr. Richard Mugahi, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Reproductive and Infant Health, observed that there is an information gap regarding family planning and sexual reproductive health among the masses.
Many women and adolescent girls still have various misconceptions and myths about family planning methods some saying that they fear using Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (IUCD) saying they can move from the uterus to different parts of the body such as the heart and the brain, which is not correct.
He urged the media to collaborate with the ministry to disseminate accurate information about family planning to the public to bridge the information gap.
Dr. Mugahi disclosed that 62 percent of unintended pregnancies occur among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, particularly among those living in rural areas.
Dr. Deogratious Migadde, a Ministry of Health expert, stressed the need for postpartum family planning and care among mothers to address this issue. He noted that there is a need to amplify the messages of post-partum family planning and child spacing to manage the problem of unintended pregnancies.
During the media engagement, Dr. Mugahi also stated that due to a lack of information about sexual reproductive health and family planning, many adolescent mothers with unintended pregnancies seek abortions, which puts their lives in danger.
He noted that 10 percent of all maternal deaths are due to abortion and pregnancy-related sepsis, with young people aged 10 to 24 contributing the highest percentage of maternal deaths.
Dr. Mugahi raised concerns that 15 percent of all pregnant women still deliver in villages, despite government efforts to extend medical services closer to the people, which has increased hospital deliveries.
He pointed out that while many women can deliver on their own without a doctor, still 15 percent may experience complications during childbirth.
He stressed the need for hospital deliveries to address these complications, as every pregnancy is different.
