Hormonal contraception methods have enjoyed many more lives than a cat. While doctors and lab technicians toil in search of the perfect way for women to avoid unwanted pregnancy-and side effects, it seems that these forms of contraception are popular among such a large number of women around the world for their inexpensive virtue, essentially.

 

However, according to a CDC report, Contraceptive Methods Women Have Ever Used: United States, 1982–2010, 63 per cent of pill users expressed dissatisfaction over side effects, 74 per cent of Depo-Provera users, and 45 per cent of contraceptive patch users discontinuedfor the same reason.

 

While every woman’s body is unique and reacts to interventions in different ways, Mercy Nasimiyu, a Kenyan woman, got the short end of the stick. Now, she acknowledges how severe those side effects can be. In Kenya, premarital counsellors push virgin brides to familiarize with contraception at least a month before marriage. Mercy did the same and, together with her husband, they went to a gynecologist.

 

“Sam and I were against hormonal contraceptives from the start but she insisted that pills would be the way to go,” Mercy recalled. While a proper procedure demands that doctors make the couple aware of all the available options, side effects and, eventually, drive them to the most suitable method, women in developing countries have to fetch most of the information by themselves. Mercy, for instance, took what the doctor said for granted. But this was not the case.

 

Upon advise, Mercy began taking Microgynon, which according to the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is one of the most reliable reversible methods of contraception, if used correctly. Among the benefits listed: Mycrogynon would make periods regular, lighter and less painful. Only the opposite was true in the case of Mercy. “My hormones wenthaywire; libido was down to zero I experienced constant nausea. I also developed huge ovarian cysts, not to mention the weight gain.Three months after the wedding, I was bed ridden…it was a trauma!” she remembered.

 

According to the PIL, “A few women have a little unexpected bleeding or spotting while they are taking Microgynon, especially during the first few months. Usually, this bleeding is nothing to worry about and it will stop after a day or two. Keep taking Microgynon 30 ED as usual. The problem should disappear after the first few strips,” reads the PIL. Unluckily, for Mercy, the experience was already on the extreme.

 

Eventually,she told A-id, “My gynecologist asked me change to Yasmin. She said I had some small cysts so the pills would take care of them… At the time I didn’t even know what cysts were.” She continued, “I used up to 4 pads per day. I had to discontinue my work for thethree months I was home. It was tricky because of blood loss and severe back pain. I was always dizzy and the backache was so severe, I really couldn’t concentrate.”

 

In the meanwhile, she got several opinions from doctors. For instance, “in church,” she said, “many people approached me for congratulations; they asked how far along I was because they thought I was expectant.  I didn’t know what to tell them.”

 

Eventually, Mercy and her husband decided not to go on with surgery and to discontinue the pills. Bleeding stopped immediately, while a healthy detox program began clearing the cysts. As exceptional this case may be, it surely epitomizes a bad practice in service delivery and health programs. Lack of training, insufficient information, abuse of drugs and poor awareness may lead to additional health problems and self-stigmatization.

 

After all, Mercy concluded, “I should have stuck to my decision on non-hormonal contraceptives and more importantly I would have gotten a second opinion and researched more… Information is very important.” Indeed, it is.