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In Ethiopia, you can purchase birth control without a prescription. While many contraceptive options are available to Ethiopian women, and some are entirely free, the rate of usage is not supremely high. It is estimated that about 36% of Ethiopian women (of reproductive age) use some form of contraception. The most popular methods are injectables (25.1%), implants (7.6%), pills (4.2%) and other traditional methods (3.2%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use Worldwide 2015]</ref> When young women (ages 15-24) engage in unprotected or "high-risk" sex, about 17% use condoms.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pCHmq8vVdI23y7z1Fkji8S9ghyl0mB5KgtXlUMPOwAs/pub Condom Usage by Country]</ref>  
In Ethiopia, you can purchase birth control without a prescription. While many contraceptive options are available to Ethiopian women, and some are entirely free, the rate of usage is not supremely high. It is estimated that about 36% of Ethiopian women (of reproductive age) use some form of contraception. The most popular methods are injectables (25.1%), implants (7.6%), pills (4.2%) and other traditional methods (3.2%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use Worldwide 2015]</ref> When young women (ages 15-24) engage in unprotected or "high-risk" sex, about 17% use condoms.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pCHmq8vVdI23y7z1Fkji8S9ghyl0mB5KgtXlUMPOwAs/pub Condom Usage by Country]</ref>  


This can be partially attributed to the fact that many Ethiopian women live in rural areas, where the nearest access to a health center can be a full day's walk. Furthermore, religion plays a critical role in Ethiopian society, with the most predominant religions being Ethiopian Orthodoxy (43.5%), Islam (33.9%) and Pentay Protestantism (20.6%).<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ethiopia Religion in Ethiopian]</ref> The Ethiopian Orthodox Church prohibits any form of contraception,<ref>[http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/12/30/301425396/ethiopians-seeking-birth-control-caught-between-church-and-state Ethiopians Seeking Birth Control: Caught Between Church And State]</ref> while women of many religious backgrounds feel social, cultural and religious pressure to avoid contraception. This means that, even for urban women, where they may have health care facilities in their own neighborhoods, they may not seek out contraceptive methods. Some women may even choose to have secret occasional abortions rather than engage in a regular contraceptive plan.<ref>[http://www.pinkpangea.com/2015/03/finding-birth-control-in-ethiopia-the-real-deal-with-lizzie-pelz/ Birth Control in Ethiopia: A Conversation with Lizzie Pelz]</ref> However, the rate of contraceptive usage is increasing in Ethiopia, jumping from 8% using hormonal birth control in 2000 to 29% in 2014.
This can be partially attributed to the fact that many Ethiopian women live in rural areas, where the nearest access to a health center can be a full day's walk. Furthermore, religion plays a critical role in Ethiopian society, with the most predominant religions being Ethiopian Orthodoxy (43.5%), Islam (33.9%) and Pentay Protestantism (20.6%).<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ethiopia Religion in Ethiopian]</ref> The Ethiopian Orthodox Church prohibits any form of contraception,<ref>[http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/12/30/301425396/ethiopians-seeking-birth-control-caught-between-church-and-state Ethiopians Seeking Birth Control: Caught Between Church And State]</ref> while women of many religious backgrounds feel social, cultural and religious pressure to avoid contraception. This means that, even for urban women, where they may have health care facilities in their own neighborhoods, they may not seek out contraceptive methods. Some women may even choose to have secret occasional abortions rather than engage in a regular contraceptive plan.<ref>[http://www.pinkpangea.com/2015/03/finding-birth-control-in-ethiopia-the-real-deal-with-lizzie-pelz/ Birth Control in Ethiopia: A Conversation with Lizzie Pelz]</ref>  
 
However, the Ethiopian government has worked to improve family planning options. As reported by Buzzfeed, "The push has been part of Ethiopia’s efforts to achieve the eight UN Millennium Development Goals — two of which include reducing child and maternal mortality — by 2015. In exchange, groups like the World Bank have agreed to cancel Ethiopia’s debt." From 2008-2011, the rate of hormonal contraceptive use for married women jumped from 8% to 29%. The government built 3500 health centers, many of them in rural areas, which staff midwives.<ref>[https://www.buzzfeed.com/miriamberger/powerful-photos-of-the-struggle-to-stop-mothers-from-dying-i?utm_term=.atQEnoGJJ#.mhGlALgGG


===What to Get & Where to Get It===
===What to Get & Where to Get It===

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