•Had unintended pregnancy from failed family planning method

•Given 4 weeks maternity leave

By Sola Ogundipe


IT was mixed blessings for Ifeanyi Amadi and his wife, Precious, when she put to bed on 27th of December, 2017. On one hand, the Amadis were relieved that even though the delivery was through Caesarean Section, there were no unexpected complications; on the other hand, they were worried because Precious was delivered of a set of triplets – two boys and a girl.



*Precious Amadi with her triplets


In an encounter with Vanguard , 38-year-old Precious who hails from Ananbra State, said she and her husband had reason to be concerned and not be too joyful because they already had three children – aged between nine and 13. The triplets brought their children to six.

“I was not planning to have any more children due to the situation in Nigeria. My first daughter is 13, the next, a boy, 11, and the other boy is nine. I was utilising the rhythm method of family planning at that time.

Before that time, I had been using the contraceptive ring, but it caused me to bleed too much. At a point, when I almost bled to death, I was compelled to have it removed.”

Precious recalled that when she was initially introduced to the ring, she was instructed to renew it every three months, but it didn’t suit her.

During her menstrual cycle, it caused her to bleed heavily so she returned to the private hospital where she obtained the device,
“At the hospital, they advised me to change to an injection contraceptive but I was afraid of injections.

Later, I opted for the rhythm method because it had always worked for me. The family planning providers even showed me how I would be counting the days and I did as I was told. It worked well for two years, but eventually failed.”

Precious is among millions of married Nigerian women with generally high and increasing unmet need for contraceptives. According to the 2016/2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, MICS, the unmet need for this category of women in the South-West zone of Nigeria is 26.4 per cent, compared to 12.4 per cent in 2007 and 21.1 per cent in 2011.

Not surprisingly, the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate, CPR, or use of contraceptives among Nigerian women of reproductive age (15-49 years) that are currently married or in a sexually active union and using a contraceptive method, is generally low and reducing.

From the MICS data, the CPR for the South- West zone shows gradual decrease from 35.2 per cent in 2007 to 28.6 per cent (2011) and 25.8 per cent in 2016/2017.

Precious continued: “When I realised I was pregnant, I was not happy at all because I was not planning to get pregnant. It was the family planning method I was using that failed and I had an unintended pregnancy.

But when scans later confirmed that I was carrying triplets, I nearly collapsed from the news. It is hard enough catering for three children not to talk of six. I knew immediately that we were in trouble.”

Precious, who was then a teacher in a private primary school, said soon after she gave birth, her appointment was terminated.

“Ï am a trained teacher. I have my National Certificate of Education, NCE, qualification. I have been teaching for over 13 years and I was a teacher in that school for almost eight years.

“After I gave birth at the General Hospital at Ajeromi Local Government, Lagos, I was given only four weeks maternity leave by my employer.

But it was not enough. I couldn’t resume work after four weeks because it was not an easy period for me at all, particularly because I gave birth through Caesarean Section.”

After the four weeks elapsed, Precious who said she was earning N18, 000 per month, decided to go back to her employer to seek permission for more time with her babies.

“I didn’t expect to get the normal three months, but I needed more time at home until my babies were stronger. To my surprise, when I went back to the school, I was told my services were no longer needed. It was then I discovered I had already been replaced and my salary stopped.”

Shortly before the babies were born, Precious had become the bread winner because Ifeanyi, her husband, a jewel merchant, had lost his shop in Idumota, Lagos, to developers. The couple is currently jobless and going through harrowing times with their six children.

Asked if she is now on any family planning method, Precious said: “When I was about to be wheeled into the theatre for the operation to deliver the triplets, I spoke with the doctor, who also had a word with my husband and it was agreed that my tubes should be tied. So my tubes are tied. It is now permanent family planning.

“Even to feed is a great challenge most times. We owe so much debt and our rent is more than one year overdue,” Precious said regretfully. Noting with a smile that the triplets are a blessing, she, however, admits that caring for them is a huge burden.

“They are now about five months old. Even breastfeeding them is a tough task because they are always hungry.

Doing exclusive breastfeeding is out of it, so I have started them on infant formula when we see it. We cannot afford to buy formula, people often donate it or give us money to buy the formula.

“We want to raise them ourselves but circumstances are beyond our control. Their need is too great for my husband and I to handle alone because we are jobless. Although the grown children are going to school, we cannot really do much for them at the moment because we are financially constrained.

“My husband’s business has been stalled because the shop where he was trading was taken over by developers. He lost his goods in the process and is only still hoping for a miracle.

We have spent all we have in taking care of the children. Right now, we don’t know what to do. We intend to take care of them as parents but seeing what is around us makes it very difficult.

“I’m at home all the time now and my husband isn’t doing anything tangible either. People have been helping us with donations but it has not been easy. We are helpless and want to work in order to care for our children. We are concerned about their future.

“I’m ready to work if employed. The triplets are bigger now and I can cope. My husband is also seeking employment. We are appealing to Nigerians to please assist us for the sake of our children.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/mothers-dilemma-sacked-giving-birth-triplets/

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"Rhythm method" is outdated. She should have opted for a proper type of family planning.
However no one can blame the employer for sacking her. It is a private business and she can't expect to be given 3months like is done in government setting. She was given 4weeks and that was not enough. A poor family with 6children , three of which are babies. Just how much more time would have been enough for her?

ok

She be one carry the children the work?
Prey they call her back when they don big.

Now its time for her man to be a man

Abeg make una tell rohr make him carry eayeama go world cup to avoid disgrace

Someone should take up that school and sue their ass to court, you cannot terminate an employee's contract on the grounds of extended maternity leave without some form of compensation. Some employers are worse off than the devil himself.



God knows I'd reach out to help these people if I had the proper means.

Nothing is impossible before God's Almighty

THIS IS SERIOUSLY SERIOUS

Nigerians are the most unique people in the whole wide world they no just get brain

On a more serious Note, Nairaland is gradually becoming one the the most prevalent sources of media misinformation in this Country. This tactic of using Over Dramatic and Captivating headlines which has very little or No correlation with the actual News report KNOWING FULLY WELL that about 80% of people don't actually Read through the details of the Report, is hugely contributing to the growing problem of blatant misinformation of the General Nigerian populace. And All this in a bid to gather more Traffic and make more money.

OBVIOUSLY The woman wasn't sacked because she gave birth to “Triplets" But because she became absent from work for too long due to her delivery and was still asking for more time so she had to be Replaced. Not to say what her employer did was good, BUT IT WASN'T BECAUSE SHE HAD “TRIPLETS". She would have been sacked regardless of How may Children she gave Birth to as This has nothing to do with Her giving birth to Triplets. The employer was only looking out for his business and is Obviously NOT a "TRIPLET HATER" as these Nairaland mods want us to believe. Still a sad case tho, But definitely NOT what is depicted on the Headline.

Seun, Yes it's a capitalist World and you have to make Profit But please Talk to your Mods to reduce this tactic of using Over Dramatic Headlines just to draw traffic, At least for the sake of your passion for the job and for the sake of the credibility of information reported on this site. The Nigerian people do deserve Accurate and Professional News Reporting. Thank you.

**Modified**

Good to see the Headline has Been corrected. Well done Guys.

This is Country where everything is possible..

wait

Just for what God gave her,maybe they don't like babies in the company

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This is depressing. Am really Sad for her.

However for some reasons. seems the poor are gifted in populating the earth,

could it be from idleness that they keep procreating all the time. Anybody having more than 2 kids at times like these is very inconsiderate and selfish. And the potent 100 horse powered husband couldn't do withdrawal or condom.......

These guys just purposely transferring poverty from one generation to another generation.... what a pity... OOOH MY AFRICA...

You're blessed woman...people will fight you because of your blessing.

Godsent4life:
I buy all your iTunes cards at the best rate ever pm now

Haba! Have you got no coinsence

thirty1:


Haba! Have you got no coinsence

how do you mean

I was told my services were no longer needed. I

This is unfair

You cant play GOD Almighty because he is wisest of the wise with all your planing and wateva he has show you he is the ultimate decider

whaaaat

So it is now a crime to give birth to triplets Oh Nigeria.

what about the coil, its non hormonal, the implant? there are many other options she could have used but most 9ja women due to ignorance believe contraceptives are evil and poison but will instead be drinking ogogoro or washing their bits with dettol and salt as a form of "contraceptive"

I hope mr horseband also has his bits snipped....cant have him going to get other women pregnant when he can barely feed the family of 8 he has created

18k per month? Jesu.

Some people dey try sha

Horus:


This is unfair

It's just business, nothing personal.