Family Planning for Guatemalans Living in Poverty

A few weeks ago, field educator Luis offered an educational talk about contraceptive methods in a small community in Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa (department of Escuintla). After the talk, two women approached him. One of them was Karen, a 27-year-old woman who heard WINGS was going to be in her community, and she came just to show her gratitude to us. Months ago, she attended a WINGS clinic where she got a subdermal hormonal implant, and not only she was now able to space her pregnancies – the implant gave her regular menstruation.

The other woman’s name was Yulissa, a 22-year-old with two children who got her subdermal hormonal implant at the health center of her community. She was worried because she suffered constant bleeding and, when she came back to the health center, they did not assist her. She arrived to the talk to get further information about the implant and she told Luis no one explained her most of the things he mentioned. After making sure it was a normal side effect, Luis asked Yulissa for her phone number in order to receive a follow-up call from WINGS.

We are pleased to see that our patients are satisfied with our work and their choice. For WINGS, the practical implementation of rights-based care means that we treat every patient in a non-judgmental, non-coercive manner that provides ample education for each individual to make well-informed decisions.  

Each patient receives comprehensive information about available contraceptive methods before they choose which one is right for them and can opt out at any moment if they change their minds. This is important in a context where not everyone has been informed of their rights in past medical treatments or other facets of their lives.