Every sexually active woman should have all the information she needs about emergency contraceptive methods. Sadly however, many Nigerian women are still misinformed.
A 2016 study conducted among unmarried female students in two Nigerian universities found that many of them still had erroneous beliefs as to what constitutes emergency contraception.
Here are four main methods many Nigerians still believe will help prevent pregnancy when used immediately after sex. And no, they absolutely do not work.
1. Salt and water
This is an extremely popular one. Many women still believe that drinking salt and water immediately after sex will help prevent a pregnancy. The fact is, neither salt, nor water, nor a mixture of both has contraceptive capabilities. The theory of taking it five minutes before sex has not been proven. In other words, you’re taking a big risk if this is what you consider a birth control method.
2. Ampiclox
Amplicox is an antibiotic and its main job is to rid your body of an infection. Fertilization does not count as an infection so popping these tablets will not prevent it from taking place. In fact, it’s actually very unhealthy for you to take antibiotics without a prescription or to abuse this drug. It can make you resistant to it when you actually need the drug to clear an infection.
(Photo: Giphy)
3. Lime and potash
This is another common method of emergency contraception among many women. Unfortunately, many people do not realize that potash (potassium alum) is quite toxic to the body. It is acidic and ingesting it too often may hurt you.
4. Washing off
Then there are those who believe that washing their vagina after sex will prevent a pregnancy. While showering or bathing can help clear the vulva of semen, it cannot do anything about the sperm that has entered the uterus through the cervix. Rinsing off or douching is not an effective contraception.
(Photo: Blackdoctor)
Now that you know what not to use as an emergency contraception, it’s time to get informed about birth control methods that have actually been proven to prevent a pregnancy.
Source: Zumi