Only 32% of Eligible Gauteng Women Accessed Contraceptives in Q1 2026/2027
- Gauteng's contraceptive uptake fell well below the province's 43% target in the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year
- Departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona linked the gap to misconceptions, fear of side effects, and misinformation about infertility risks
- Public healthcare facilities in Gauteng offer a wide range of free contraceptive options, from injectables to long-acting implants
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GAUTENG — Only 32.45% of women of reproductive age in Gauteng accessed contraceptive services during the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year, falling significantly short of the province's 43% target, according to the Gauteng Department of Health. This was despite many South African women struggling to access contraceptives due to limited availability.
According to IOL, departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona said the shortfall mirrors a broader national trend, noting that an estimated 75% of unintended pregnancies across South Africa are associated with low contraceptive uptake. The provincial figures, he said, reflect that pattern directly.
Misinformation driving low uptake
Mabona identified misconceptions, fear of side effects, and concerns about potential infertility as the leading barriers keeping women away from contraceptive services. He said these fears are largely rooted in inadequate knowledge and the spread of misinformation, and emphasised that the overall health benefits of contraception outweigh the risks associated with side effects.
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Mabona remarked that access to contraceptives provides women and families the power to make informed decisions about reproductive care and reduces the risk of unintended pregnancies while improving child health and maternal health.
Free options available at public facilities
Public healthcare facilities in Gauteng currently provide a broad range of contraceptive methods at no cost. Long-acting reversible options include the subdermal Implanon implant, intrauterine contraceptive devices, and the Copper T. Injectable contraceptives such as Nur-Isterate and Depo-Provera are also available, alongside oral contraceptive pills including Triphasil, Microval, and Nordette.
While Choice on Termination of Pregnancy services remain freely accessible at public facilities, health officials stressed that many unintended pregnancies could be prevented if more women made use of the available preventative options before conception. Mabona encouraged women and girls of reproductive age to visit their nearest public health facility and take advantage of the free services on offer to protect their reproductive health and wellbeing.
Source: Getty Images
UN sounds alarm after Ekurhuleni murders
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the United Nations’ warning over the murders of nine women in Ekurhuleni. The deaths, recorded across Gauteng’s East Rand within just over two months, have intensified concerns about South Africa’s gender-based violence crisis.
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Source: Briefly News
