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  • Title: [Family planning in the rural governorate of Mahdia].
    Author: Baraket M.
    Journal: Rev Tunis Sci Soc; 1986; 23(84-87):397-422. PubMed ID: 12314868.
    Abstract:
    This report describes the general population, use of contraception, and suggestions for initiating a family planning program in the rural sections of the Gouvernorat of Mahdia, Tunisia. The locales examined are Chorbane, D'Essouassi and D'Ouled Chamakh, which make up 81,000 people, out of a total of 260,000 in the Gouvernorat. The population is growing at 3.1% yearly, with a mean age of 23 (median 17), or 45% under 15 years old. The density is 50 persons/sq km. About 17% of men and 2% of women are literate. Many men emigrate to find work. 75% of the people work in agriculture, the rest as laborers or textile workers. Housing is primitive, 97% with no facilities and 4 persons per room. There are a total of 12 health centers in the area, including 1 field hospital, 2 centers with family planning clinics. Data from 1981 showed that family planning acceptors in the region comprised 330 women sterilized; 612 who had abortions; 3400 on pills; 1366 with IUDs; and 830 using other methods. The contraception data were collected from records of mobile teams only. Recent data suggests that 50% of women currently covered were sterilized in campaigns 5 years ago. Their mean age is 40 years and they have 7-8 children. Pill or IUD users average 33 years with 5.5 children. Women cite hostility of their husbands toward contraception, especially in the common situation where spouses are away 6 months of the year working. There is also a fear of losing a child, since half of women interviewed have lost 1 or 2 children. On the other hand, 50% of women who have 7 or more children do not want any more pregnancies. This information suggests several opportunities for introducing family planning, such as spacing methods, especially for lactating women and educating husbands on the value of planning.
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