Lusaka: Difference between revisions

The story of reproductive and sexual health care in Zambia is a complex one. On the one hand, women in urban areas can find condoms sold in a variety of markets, and birth control pills can be purchased over-the-counter. You can also find longer lasting contraceptive methods, such as IUDs, implants, or injectables, available at clinics and hospitals. Emergency contraceptive pills are available, but it appears that a prescription is required. On the other hand, the vast majority of women in Zambia live in poverty and, in the case of rural women, they may live a day's trek away from the nearest contraceptive distributor. There may be social or familial pressures to not use contraceptives from husbands, family members, and community members as well. As of 2018, Zambian women have one of the highest fertility rates in the world, and contraceptives are still a taboo or stigmatized topic for many people.