Myths, Misperceptions and Fears Addressing Condom Use Barriers

Essential Medicines for Reproductive Health

Why Supplies Matter

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UNFPA places a high priority on Reproductive Health Commodity Security, which means that all individuals can obtain and use affordable, quality reproductive health supplies of their choice whenever they need them.

Access to a reliable supply of contraceptives, condoms, medicines and equipment is absolutely essential to ensuring the right to reproductive health.

What can $1 million do?

  • Avert 360,000 unwanted pregnancies
  • Prevent 150,000 induced abortions
  • Save the lives of 800 women and 11,000 infants
  • Prevent some 14,000 deaths of children under 5

Source: Global Estimates of Contraceptive Commodities and Condoms for STI/HIV
Prevention, UNFPA, 2002.

Supply security to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections

Without a secure supply of condoms, AIDS cannot be reversed. Condoms - male and female- are currently the most efficient, widely available technologies to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other infections. They are the only methods that simultaneously protect against unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Testing kits are another critical commodity for HIV prevention.

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Supply Security to Protect Adolescents and Youth

Sexual and reproductive health services for youth are more essential than ever. One in every four people is between the ages of 10-24, comprising the largest youth generation ever. Most live in low-income countries. Today’s young people are more likely to spend adolescence in school and to delay marriage and childbearing, and they also require specialized services to ensure their health. Despite their vulnerability to HIV, their reproductive health needs in this are often overlooked.

Adolescents and young people, especially girls, are often unable to access the commodities and services that may be available to adults, for a variety of reasons, including affordability, cultural dynamics and time constraints. Health systems must make special efforts to provide youth-friendly services.. An essential component of these services is supplies, such as contraceptives and condoms, which must be available consistently and reliably in order to help sexually active young people protect themselves from HIV, other STIs , and unintended pregnancy.

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Supply security reduces gender inequality

Because women are disproportionately affected by reproductive health problems, gender equality requires that they have access to quality medical support. This, in turn, is dependent on a secure supply of equipment and medicines. Contraception is widely considered a woman’s responsibility -- only about 7 per cent of couples in most developing countries use modern methods of contraception that are for men (condoms or vasectomy).

Survivors of sexual violence need access to prompt testing and treatment to protect themselves from HIV and unwanted pregnancies. Finally, sexually active women are at higher risk for HIV than men, and male and female condoms can protect them.

In all ways, women bear the brunt of an insecure supply of reproductive health commodities. Gender equality, therefore, demands a secure supply of these products.

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Supply security to prevent maternal deaths

Fatmata's story

Fatmata was already unconscious and gasping weakly for air. Since the hospital's one-fridge blood bank was empty as usual, they would have to buy a pint of blood from a black marketeer on the street. Read her story

Nearly all pregnancy-related deaths could be prevented by these three interventions: Family planning to prevent unintended pregnancies, skilled birth attendance at all births, and emergency obstetric care when needed. All three are dependent on a secure, reliable stream of reproductive health supplies: contraceptives, antibiotics and other medicines and surgical supplies. In order to save mothers’ lives, these basic items must reach the places that they are needed, not just this time, but every time. Often the death of a mother could be prevented by an inexpensive medicine, or a timely Caesaean section.

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Secure supplies address population and development concerns

Extreme poverty and resource depletion is most common in countries that have the most rapid population growth rates and the highest fertility levels. Fertility reduction in most poor countries has occurred only in the presence of comprehensive family planning programmes, including access to contraceptives.

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