Married couples have been urged to seek family planning (FP) information and advice to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Ms Gifty Nyaabah, a nurse at the RCH unit of the Upper East Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, gave the advice in an interaction with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga on family planning uptake by families.

She urged married couples who were not prepared to have children to visit any of the family planning units in the health facilities, to find out how they could postpone pregnancies and get help on the right choice of FP method.

She said unplanned pregnancies could develop complications that might lead to serious health conditions or maternal deaths.

‘At the facilities we counsel our clients and give them all the types of choices including the permanent methods of FP and based on age eligibility criteria in taking a particular choice and information given by the client, we are able to make a good choice for them.’

She said some families still had misconceptions about the practice of FP and urged couples to feel free to visit and ask all questions related to any choice since the facilities had all the FP methods.

She said sensitization was ongoing to break the myths surrounding FP and indicated that the region was doing well even though it was still working at achieving its target.

She said the Upper East Region had FP coverage of 32.4 per cent while the national target was 40 per cent.

‘FP is not bad, we have the hormonal and non-hormonal methods, and they all help and if you move to any of the facilities, you can receive the needed information that could help you make the right choice.’

Ms Nyaabah said it would also help to space the children in the family and give the women time to rest.

Source: Ghana News Agency