Child spacing and prevention of pregnancy among African indigenous people

Excerpt

There are different family planning methods in modern medicine. However, literature shows that birth or child spacing and prevention of pregnancy among indigenous African people have existed since time immemorial. From time to time, mothers feel the need to space their children using indigenous methods. Literature shows that females, to prevent pregnancy and consequently space birthing their children, use different indigenous methods. These methods include breastfeeding, abstinence, ukusoma (thigh sex), withdrawal, moon-cycle checking, the calendar method, use of herbs and artefacts, and u fhahea nowa (a uterus environment preventing successful conception after some traditional medications are administered). Clinical health care professionals must know these indigenous methods to enable them to develop culturally safe health care plans that meet the needs of their clients. Emphasis should be placed on how good indigenous methods can be enriched while those harmful to the end-user are highlighted to make health care professionals aware and assist the end-users in making informed decisions. The documentation of indigenous child spacing methods will help promote appropriate, culturally safe and acceptable practices that will assist in the prevention of pregnancy. Sharing and documenting this tacit knowledge will promote the co-existence of both indigenous and Western approaches to improve child spacing and the prevention of pregnancy.