Why no birth control ?

Tippytoes

WhiteHorse wrote: »

Interesting question.

We are incessently bombarded with harrowing images, yet the countries concerned have no difficulty in maintaining large armies, all of which are invariably well fed and equipped.

We are told that the 'famine' has been going on for, say '5 years', yet one can often see a 'starving' family with children aged, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

One might also reflect on the interesting fact that when starvation has taken hold, women stop menstruating.

I am grateful that I have never known what it is to be truly hungry. However, one thing's for sure. If I was weak and dying from dehydration and starvation, the last of my priorities would be finding the energy to lie on my back and bonk.

TudorRose

WhiteHorse wrote: »

Interesting question.

We are incessently bombarded with harrowing images, yet the countries concerned have no difficulty in maintaining large armies, all of which are invariably well fed and equipped.

We are told that the 'famine' has been going on for, say '5 years', yet one can often see a 'starving' family with children aged, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

One might also reflect on the interesting fact that when starvation has taken hold, women stop menstruating.

I've always wondered how all these children are conceived when times are so hard as I always thought that if the mother's nutrition/diet was so poor it was difficult to conceive & if conception took place it was difficult to carry a healthy baby to term or give birth to any baby that stood a good chance of survival.
Perhaps I have been living under a mis apprehension about this all my adult life (I am now 56)

oscarward

My theorey is.....

In poor countries where there is no spare cash then children are the pension fund in that they will keep you in old age when you are unable to work.

Given the child mortality rates then if you only have 1 or 2 children it is likely one or all will die so they won't be able to support you.

So have large families to make sure they can keep you in old age........

biscit

WhiteHorse wrote: »

We are incessently bombarded with harrowing images

No we're not. It's very occasionally on the news or there's Comic Relief and Sport Relief once a year.

Lip_Stick

It is weird how they don't have a Boots in the African bush. :think:

melanzana

I would love to talk to some of the people involved in Third World Aid, who are actually on the ground, and see what their view of this is.

We are here, some struggling too, but try to cut our cloth. Things, and culture, and tribal issues are involved, I have no doubt.

But I agree with others, it seems to be something about keeping a family for the parents later in life, or indeed to work the land.

That sounds so arrogant, but I have a feeling it's a cultural thing.

Anyhow, Catholics can use contraceptives nowadays. I'm from Ireland FGS and our birthrate is falling fast! I doubt any aid worker no matter the religion, or none, would object to a long term contraceptive like the Mirena Coil. But maybe the people who would benefit from that don't want it.

So, like others have said, it's great to put in a well, give micro finance etc. But if the population keeps exploding in places where it cannot be sustained, well something has to give.

melanzana

Lip_Stick wrote: »

It is weird how they don't have a Boots in the African bush. :think:

:rotfl:

Some seem to have mobile phones in the most obsure and out of the way places, so why not put the pill and antibiotics and anti fungals etc on an app for order and delivery by camel?

Boots, you have been warned!

lyra

TudorRose wrote: »

I've always wondered how all these children are conceived when times are so hard as I always thought that if the mother's nutrition/diet was so poor it was difficult to conceive & if conception took place it was difficult to carry a healthy baby to term or give birth to any baby that stood a good chance of survival.
Perhaps I have been living under a mis apprehension about this all my adult life (I am now 56)

To have the best chance of a healthy baby, a mother probably needs to be healthy herself, but there's plenty of people all over the world who (for numerous reasons) are very ill etc & carry a baby fullterm. Of course the child can then have physical/mental health problems when they're born but some don't.

debtfreenow

oscarward wrote: »

My theorey is.....

In poor countries where there is no spare cash then children are the pension fund in that they will keep you in old age when you are unable to work.

Given the child mortality rates then if you only have 1 or 2 children it is likely one or all will die so they won't be able to support you.

So have large families to make sure they can keep you in old age........

I had it explained to me one time that the reason for having a large number of children in poor countries is basically down to the woman providing herself with her own personal "Welfare State". That is, in this country we have a Welfare State and State Pension etc to ensure we have income during old age, but in these poorer countries the children ARE the income in old age (ie they financially support the parents later on in life).

That, at least, I understand even if I don't agree with it. I can't figure out why it happens in Western countries though (well I couldn't until the huge tranche of recent payments for having children of recent years came along....).:(. Though I dont think those having large numbers of children in Western countries for the sake of the payouts have really thought it through to "Those payouts will stop once the children are adults and they won't be supporting us themselves either".

fadetogrey

biscit wrote: »

No we're not. It's very occasionally on the news or there's Comic Relief and Sport Relief once a year.

yes we are, most sky channels show appeals for aid for africa every morning between programmes.