In-depth: What contraceptives are available in SA and which ones are most popular?

There are a variety of tools available today to prevent pregnancy including pills, intrauterine devices, subdermal implants, injections, condoms, male and female sterilisation, and emergency contraception. Statistics suggest that people in South Africa do, in principle at least, have access to and are aware of these contraceptive methods, albeit not at the desired levels. Elna Schütz looks at what contraceptive methods are available and makes some surprising discoveries along the way about which ones are most popular.

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In the Spotlight: SA’s low vasectomy numbers

As much as 20% of births in South Africa are the result of unplanned or unintended pregnancies. One way to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies is for men who do not wish to have children to undergo male sterilisation in the form of vasectomy. Siyabonga Kamnqa asks how easy it is to get a vasectomy in South Africa and why relatively few men opt for this form of contraception.

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