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In Afghanistan, oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are technically available over-the-counter (i.e. no prescription required).<ref>[http://ocsotc.org/wp-content/uploads/worldmap/worldmap.html Global Oral Contraception Availability]</ref><ref>[http://freethepill.org/where-on-earth/ Free the Pill: World Map]</ref> However, the reality is that birth control pills can be hard to find. According to one local contributor: "There is almost no access for local women to contraceptives other than condoms. It is possible to get a prescription for combined oral contraceptive pills, but the quality is not comparable to the assortment of pills in Western countries. There are NGOs in the country providing contraceptives of all kinds in Afghanistan, but not all local women have access to these NGOs." You can visit the bottom of this page ("Additional Resources") for a list of NGOs to contact. | In Afghanistan, oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are technically available over-the-counter (i.e. no prescription required).<ref>[http://ocsotc.org/wp-content/uploads/worldmap/worldmap.html Global Oral Contraception Availability]</ref><ref>[http://freethepill.org/where-on-earth/ Free the Pill: World Map]</ref> However, the reality is that birth control pills can be hard to find. According to one local contributor: "There is almost no access for local women to contraceptives other than condoms. It is possible to get a prescription for combined oral contraceptive pills, but the quality is not comparable to the assortment of pills in Western countries. There are NGOs in the country providing contraceptives of all kinds in Afghanistan, but not all local women have access to these NGOs." You can visit the bottom of this page ("Additional Resources") for a list of NGOs to contact. | ||
Generally speaking, Afghanistan has a high fertility rate and maternal mortality rate. Nearly one in ten Afghan women give birth as an adolescent, and the country's fertility rate is five children per woman, according to 2014 data. Furthermore, nearly 18% of all deaths of women of childbearing age are due to pregnancy-related causes. These high numbers can be attributed to many factors, including lack of sex education and general education, lack of contraceptive access, and inadequate skills or training among health care staff.<ref>[https://www.unfpa.org/news/acceptance-family-planning-grows-afghanistan-myths-linger Acceptance of family planning grows in Afghanistan, but myths linger]</ref> | |||
According to a 2015 UN report, it was found that about 29% of Afghan women (who are of reproductive age and married/in unions) use some form of contraception, including traditional methods, and about 27% of women have unmet family planning needs. This rate is much lower than the average rate of contraceptive use in Southern Asia, where about 57% of women use contraceptives, or Western Asia, where about 58% of women use contraceptives. In Afghanistan, the most commonly used birth control method is contraceptive injectables, which are used by about 12% of Afghan women, and birth control pills, which are used by almost 7% of women. There are very low rates of usage for all other forms of contraceptives, including traditional methods (3.8%), condoms (1.6%), IUDs (1.5%), withdrawal (1.5%), contraceptive implants (1%) and female sterilization (0.7%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use Worldwide 2015]</ref> | According to a 2015 UN report, it was found that about 29% of Afghan women (who are of reproductive age and married/in unions) use some form of contraception, including traditional methods, and about 27% of women have unmet family planning needs. This rate is much lower than the average rate of contraceptive use in Southern Asia, where about 57% of women use contraceptives, or Western Asia, where about 58% of women use contraceptives. In Afghanistan, the most commonly used birth control method is contraceptive injectables, which are used by about 12% of Afghan women, and birth control pills, which are used by almost 7% of women. There are very low rates of usage for all other forms of contraceptives, including traditional methods (3.8%), condoms (1.6%), IUDs (1.5%), withdrawal (1.5%), contraceptive implants (1%) and female sterilization (0.7%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use Worldwide 2015]</ref> | ||
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===What to Get & Where to Get It=== | ===What to Get & Where to Get It=== | ||
* There is a reported problem of counterfeit drugs, which may be dangerous or ineffective.<ref>[https://beamexchange.org/practice/snapshots/abif-afghanistan-pharmacies/ ABIF: Providing the right prescription for Afghanistan's pharmacies]</ref> For this reason, it is recommended that you try to visit pharmacies that are more widely trusted. One example is 768 Pharmacy<ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/f8b4e5d2-1c1e-11e5-8201-cbdb03d71480 InFrontier takes stake in Afghan pharmacy chain]</ref>, which is a pharmacy chain in Afghanistan with multiple locations. | * [https://www.mariestopes.org/where-we-work/afghanistan/# Marie Stopes Afghanistan]: "Currently, we operate 11 centres across five provinces, through which all-female staff offer a comprehensive range of services, including contraception and post-abortion care. We also work with public health sector staff, delivering services through eight public hospitals." Looking for services in Afghanistan? Use the contacts below to speak with our advisers. Call centre: +93 075 2220 000 or 075 2025 900 / Psycho-social call centre: +93 0799 67 87 77 | ||
* There is a reported problem of counterfeit drugs, which may be dangerous or ineffective.<ref>[https://beamexchange.org/practice/snapshots/abif-afghanistan-pharmacies/ ABIF: Providing the right prescription for Afghanistan's pharmacies]</ref> For this reason, it is recommended that you try to visit pharmacies that are more widely trusted. One example is 768 Pharmacy<ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/f8b4e5d2-1c1e-11e5-8201-cbdb03d71480 InFrontier takes stake in Afghan pharmacy chain]</ref>, which is a pharmacy chain in Afghanistan with multiple locations. You can also visit pharmacies at hospitals, such as the [http://www.americanmedicalaf.com/ American Medical Center]. | |||
===Costs=== | ===Costs=== |
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