Global Women's Voices: Share Personal Stories

Gary Steele, Ethiopia

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The local physician, working in reproductive health in hospital serving a rural area, told me the story of patient he recently had, who presented with a fever and abdominal pains. Eventually she admitted that she had six children and absolutely did not want a seventh. She would take any risk to avoid another baby.

She had attempted and apparently succeeded in self-aborting using the interior cartridge of a ball point pen. He did an exam (no trace of the cartridge), put her on antibiotics, and asked if she wanted a tubal ligation. Her answer was an enthusiastic "yes!," and she left the clinic a much happier woman.

The doctor explained to me that cases such as these, of which there are many and the majority of which he never hears about, are the reason he believes it is worth his while to train clinic staff in contraceptive logistics so that stock outs will be controlled and clients will have contraceptives when they want them.

updated: 7/14/2004