Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning PubHealthInfo

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PubHealth.info® (a subsidiary of PakMed) presents scientific information mainly based on abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health issues/topics, particularly encompassing population planning, disease prevention, maternal and child health, and communicable and non-communicable diseases (like HIV AIDS, malaria, etc) that are affecting a significant portion of population in developing and developed countries. Here you can find abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health topics under category "Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning". Contraception (birth control) is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant or giving birth. Therefore contraception is the utilization of various and sundry surgical procedures, devices, practices, agents, or drugs with the intention of preventing conception or impregnation (pregnancy). Methods and intentions typically termed birth control may be considered a pivotal ingredient to family planning. Birth control is a controversial political and ethical issue in many cultures and religions, and although it is generally less controversial than abortion specifically.

YEAR: 1992

CATEGORY: Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning

TITLE

Islamic ideology, contraception and the emergence of women in Bangladesh.

AUTHORS

Schuler SR; Hashemi SM

SOURCE

Boston, Massachusetts, John Snow, Inc., JSI Research and Training Institute,

1992 Dec. [2], 23 p. JSI Working Paper No. 2

ABSTRACT

Few studies examine at the community and household level normative changes in contraceptive use in Bangladesh.

In this study, about 50 semistructured interviews provide data to assess how normative changes (ideas and behavior

about using contraception) come about and how competing interpretations of socially acceptable and morally

correct behavior is manifested in social interactions and consciousness. Focus is also directed to the effects of

male dominance on contraceptive decision making and behavior and the connections between changes in women's

status and social norms for family planning in rural Bangladesh. Village level religious ideas and their effect on

contraceptive use is also of interest. Beliefs in general are that contraception is against religion and women who are

sterilized cannot receive a Muslim burial or go near a corpse; people are not allowed to eat food prepared by

sterilized women; and sterilization will bring with it misfortune for the community and the individual. Availability of a

wider range of methods and government promotion has occurred along with greater acceptance of family planning

(FP). New norms are: contraception/sterilization is consistence with Islam and it is sinful to bring children into the

world and not provide for them. In rural areas there is a struggle between the new and old norms. Men consistently

determine what is consistent with religion; they are usually traditional in their views. Fears are common: fear of

supernatural punishment, fear of social stigma, fear of contraceptive side effects and economic loss, and

uncertainty. In bridging the gap between beliefs and behavior, interim solutions are evasion (men ignoring their wife's

pill use), conformity (several cases are given), and secrecy. Women's status has changed more slowly than

changes in contraceptive behavior. The seclusion of women (purdah) changed first for women who went to work

when their husband did not provide support; this was viewed as an excuse. Women resisting domination or the

status quo are subjected to patriarchal backlash. In contrast changing contraceptive behavior, although in consort

with new views of Islam, is more directly affected by economic concerns, government promotion of the small family

norm, and improved access to FP which is not as threatening. (PubHealth.info Document ID: CONT3T 1532-06)

PubHealth.info NOTE: The author(s) of this article titled, "Islamic ideology, contraception and the emergence of

women in Bangladesh.", is(are) Schuler SR; Hashemi SM. The source of this article is "Boston, Massachusetts,

John Snow, Inc., JSI Research and Training Institute, 1992 Dec. [2], 23 p. JSI Working Paper No. 2". This article

was published in 1992 in English language(s). (PubHealth.info® Document ID: CONT3T 1532-06. All rights reserved

with PubHealth.info) PIN: 11532

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