Training of Roma Health Mediators in Reproductive Health

Trainer document
STATEMENTS : OBSTACLES TO COMMUNICATION
1. A woman who has 8 children. She nearly died from hemorrhage during her last
delivery. It is doubtful she would be able to survive another pregnancy. You ask
her if she is interested in family planning. She responds: "I don't believe in family
planning. Those things make you sick. I don't need it."
2. A woman with 2 children (ages 2 years, and 5 months) has been using
contraceptive pills for the past 4 months. Her husband has just found her pills and
thus learned that she is on contraception. He is completely opposed to
contraception and has forbid her to continue taking the pills. She tells you: "I
don't want more children right now. I don't agree with the position of my husband
but I cannot continue if he doesn't want it."
3. A woman 21 years old with one child. She wants to know where she can get a tubal
ligation because she doesn't want any more children. When you try to discuss other
family planning methods with her, she responds: "I don't want to hear about other
methods. I told you that I don't want any more children. And for that reason, I want
to be sterilized."
4. A single girl, 17 years old, who has been having sex for the last 2 years. She is now
in the second month of pregnancy. She has already had one induced abortion and
she intends to abort this pregnancy as well. When you try to discuss family planning
with her, she responds: "I will not need it. I'm not going to have sex any more
before I get married."
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RFHI/JSI Romania Training of RHMs in Reproductive Health Session 14: Interpersonal Communication