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  • Title: Women's choice between indigenous and Western contraception in urban Mozambique.
    Author: Agadjanian V.
    Journal: Women Health; 1998; 28(2):1-17. PubMed ID: 10067803.
    Abstract:
    Research on women's reproductive behavior and family planning in developing countries is usually focused on western contraceptive methods and rarely addresses indigenous contraception, such as herbs, amulets, and charms that are believed to prevent pregnancy. However, the available data demonstrate that indigenous contraception is widely known, and its prevalence often rivals that of western methods. Based on qualitative data collected in Greater Maputo, Mozambique, in 1993, this study explores and analyzes women's choice between western methods-mainly oral contraceptives, intra-uterine devices and injectables-available from state-run family planning clinics, and indigenous contraception, a combination of herbal and magical medicine, provided by traditional healers. The study demonstrates that women's choice between the two types of methods is determined by their sociodemographic characteristics and cultural background, access to these methods, perceptions of the effectiveness and undesirable side-effects of these methods, and by restrictions imposed by the providers. Although indigenous methods may not compete with western contraception in the long run, their present-day persistence warrants the attention of scholars and policymakers who intend to integrate women's concerns and constraints in the design of family planning systems. This paper analyzes women's choice between indigenous contraception (a combination of herbal and magical medicine) and western contraception (mainly oral pills, IUDs, and injectables) in urban Mozambique. Data collection according to the qualitative method was conducted in 1993; it included participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus groups in the suburban and periurban part of Greater Maputo, Mozambique. Since the qualitative method was employed in the study, statistics on the effectiveness and prevalence of indigenous and western contraception were not provided. Thus, the study dealt more with the reasons and circumstances behind the women's choice between indigenous and western contraception. Indigenous contraception users were women who had a stronger affiliation with tradition--for example, women living in semirural suburbs where traditional customs and lifestyles were more normative. It was noted that not all women had access to indigenous contraception since it was only available to married women and required the presence of a husband. The most common western counterpart of the indigenous method is Depo-Provera, which is popular among the less educated, higher-parity women. The fear of real or perceived side effects of western contraception greatly affected the women's choice of method. A reported disadvantage of indigenous contraception was that traditional healers who administered them charged their clients while most family planning clinics offered contraceptives for free. In general, most of the women's attitudes on contraception were practical and their contraceptive strategies were focused on effectiveness.
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