Perceptions of Couples Who Use Jadelle Implant in Blantyre District, Malawi

Malawi has a high total fertility rate of 5.7 per woman and Jadelle implant may be an ideal option for couples who want to practice family planning. Jadelle is a long term contraceptive which is inserted just under the skin of a woman’s upper, inner arm by a nurse or midwife and prevents a woman from getting pregnant for a period of five years. But the use of Jadelle for family planning depends on perceptions of couples. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of couples who choose Jadelle as their family planning method at a Central Hospital in Blantyre district. This study used a descriptive qualitative design. A purposive sample of 5 couples was used. Ethical clearance was granted by relevant authorities. Data was analysed through content analysis. The findings showed that the following nine themes emerged from the qualitative data: 1) men and women perspectives about mode of action of Jadelle; 2) knowledge about effectiveness and efficacy of Jadelle among men and women; 3) sources of information about Jadelle; 4) information given to Jadelle users by providers; 5) benefits of Jadelle; 6) challenges associated with Jadelle; 7) myths associated with Jadelle; 8) attitudes of providers of Jadelle and 9) role played by men regarding use of Jadelle. In conclusion, this study found that both men and women generally lacked knowledge of Jadelle. Men play a vital role when couples are choosing contraceptives. Every opportunity should be utilised at antenatal, postnatal and family planning clinics to teach individuals about family planning. This may allow women and men to make informed choices about the use of Jadelle.