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Dear Healthcare Professional, CycleBeads are making an impact around the world. Women from Beligum to Bolivia, from the U.S. to Uganda have found that this low cost, easy to use, highly effective, natural family planning option is right for them. In fact, programs in more than 30 countries are actively offering CycleBeads and women in more than 50 countries are using them. This issue of our newsletter features some of the interesting places where CycleBeads are offered and the unique challenges that they help address. We hope you enjoy it, and if you would like to share your own story, please email us at providers@cyclebeads.com. Sincerely,
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Where in the World are CycleBeads?
A number of barriers to offering family planning services exist in Benin. These barriers include provider biases against offering family planning outside of a "clinical" setting as well as chronic stock-outs of contraceptive supplies. Additionally, men in Benin are the primary decision makers about contraception, but they are rarely involved in family planning counseling. This has resulted in 27% of women who are at risk of pregnancy and want to avoid a pregnancy, using no method or ineffective methods of family planning.
CycleBeads have been available in Benin for approximately three years and are offered through a variety of public and private sector organizations including the Ministry of Health, community based family planning programs, NGO's, faith-based groups, and even non-health programs such as micro credit and fishing programs. These programs have found CycleBeads to be a great way to address some of the barriers:
Of the women who choose to use CycleBeads in Benin, 90% of those women have never used another family planning method. And programs that offer CycleBeads report that 14% of the women who are "new family planning acceptors" choose to use CycleBeads. Clearly, CycleBeads are attractive to women who otherwise would not be using birth control. "(CycleBeads) has served as a family planning repositioning tool in Benin. We have seen the uptake of all methods in areas where (it) is being offered." - Director of Family Planning, Department of Family Health
Philippines
In the Philippines only about one third of women use an effective family planning option despite the fact that contraceptive options are widely available and awareness of them is high. Studies show that the main reasons for this lack of use include: fear of side effects, health concerns, husband's dislike of a method, and a predominantly Catholic context. Given this situation, one would expect a high use of natural family planning. But surprisingly a national survey conducted in 2003, before CycleBeads were available, showed that only 0.1% of women choose natural family planning. This appears to be due to the fact that traditionally, natural family planning has been very difficult to teach and to use.
While CycleBeads are offered only in select regions of the Philippines at this point, they are having an impact as indicated by Director Oskee Mabalot of PopCom Region I, "As a program professional promoting Responsible Parenting and all family planning methods, I can say that (CycleBeads) are the most popular natural family planning choice among couples, because of its simplicity and effectiveness."
Rwanda
Rwanda is a densely populated country of more than 8 million people, most of whom live in rural areas. As of 2005, only about 10% of women of reproductive age were using contraception and the average fertility rate was 6.1 children per woman. However, a combination of factors has created a positive environment for introducing a natural, effective family planning option such as CycleBeads in Rwanda. These factors include: the desire of many Rwandans to space births, the prevalent traditional and religious beliefs about contraception, and a renewed national focus on family planning.
CycleBeads have been available in Rwanda since early 2003 and have attracted thousands of couples who previously were not using any form of birth control. In fact, 95% of the more than 5,400 registered users, have never used a family planning option before. "In addition," states Dr. Ferdinand Bikorimana of UNFPA and the Ministry of Health, "many couples note that using (CycleBeads) has improved the quality of couple communication as they discuss how to manage the fertile days." With the effort of several public and private sector Rwandan organizations, CycleBeads are now available through more than 260 health centers throughout the country and services are offered by a range of health providers from MD's to couple's counselors.
Uganda
Uganda has one of the highest fertility rates in the world at 6.9 children per woman. An estimated 35% of women who are at risk of unwanted pregnancy are not using birth control. To address this situation, CycleBeads were launched in late 2006 in Uganda under the name MoonBeads™ by AFFORD, a USAID funded health marketing initiative, and the First Lady of Uganda, Mrs. Janet Museveni.
Approximately 1,000 health providers have been trained on this natural family planning option and information on this new method is being disseminated through mass media, community activities, and clinics. In just a few months, the method has proven popular. Romano Fernandes, Senior Marketing & Distribution Advisor notes, "There is a lot of enthusiasm generated when people hear about MoonBeads. Although it will take some time for people to become familiar with the method, I am very optimistic about its success in Uganda."
CycleBeads in Other Countries... Around the world people are learning about and using this easy to use, highly effective, natural family planning option.
Haiti
Peru
Ecuador
India
To find out about other countries where CycleBeads are available, and local organizations that are helping to make them available, click here.
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