Culture

Contraception Gave Me
Peace of Mind

Linsay Kendall for Essencelle.ca

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I recently learned that a staggering ~50% of pregnancies in Canada are unplanned.

At first, I was shocked by this statistic, but then I started to think about my own history with contraception and stories of other women’s contraception use, or rather, lack thereof. I must admit that as a 36-year-old woman, I only started researching and educating myself on contraception. After the birth of my daughter, I began educating myself on contraception. I was already struggling with postpartum depression when shortly thereafter, every parent’s worst nightmare happened; my stepson was diagnosed with brain cancer. Our family was thrown into the most challenging phase of our lives to date. I needed all my energy to take care of my newborn daughter and to put on a strong, loving face for my four-year-old stepson.

I started researching contraception.

I realized how truly uneducated I was about my choices. There were so many options that I wasn’t aware of. When I spoke to other women in my life, I quickly realized they didn’t know what was available for them either, so I made it my mission to start having open conversations with my friends and family about methods of contraception. And now with you!

These conversations made it clear that women are still heavily affected by stigma and apprehension. As an Indigenous woman, I empathize with those who mistrust outsiders, and I believe we need the partnership of outside entities to heal this mistrust. Having access to a woman’s health website with a genuine diversity call-to-action is a step towards this healing.

Many of our communities are struggling to escape the cycle of poverty.

So many times, I’ve seen an unplanned pregnancy force a woman to stay in an unhealthy relationship or drop out of school and put their dreams on hold. This happens mostly due to a lack of resources and education regarding contraception methods. I’m hoping to help change that for my community, and maybe you can be the one to help make positive changes in yours. We can work together towards change by:

  • Seeking out education on contraception and share our knowledge
  • Have open and honest conversations with friends, family and loved ones
  • Create a safe space for others to share their stories or ask questions

After my research,  ESSENCELLE.CA to be a refreshing resource.

I highly recommend following your intuition when making your choice – no one knows your body better than you. I’m also happy to report that my stepson has been tumor free for three years! Thank you for taking the time to read my words.

Respectfully,

Linsay Kendall