A government official has for the first time acknowledged the practice of injecting women of Ethiopian origin with the long-acting contraceptive Depo-Provera.

Health Ministry Director General Prof. Ron Gamzu has instructed the four health maintenance organizations to stop the practice as a matter of course.

The ministry and other state agencies had previously denied knowledge or responsibility for the practice, which was first reported five years ago.

Gamzu’s letter instructs all gynecologists in the HMOs "not to renew prescriptions for Depo-Provera for women of Ethiopian origin if for any reason there is concern that they might not understand the ramifications of the treatment.”

He also instructed physicians to avail themselves of translators if need be.

From The National:

"I believe there is a deliberate targeting of these women," said Hedva Eyal, project coordinator at a women's rights research group in Haifa.

Ms Eyal and other activists say the birth rate in the Ethiopian community has halved in the past 10 years. Her group is one of six that asked the Israeli health ministry to clarify the use of the drug Depo-Provera among Ethiopians.

Gamzu’s letter came in response to a letter from Sharona Eliahu-Chai of the Association of Civil Rights in Israel, representing several women’s rights and Ethiopian immigrants’ groups. The letter demanded the injections cease immediately and that an investigation be launched into the practice.

About six weeks ago, on an Educational Television program journalist Gal Gabbay revealed the results of interviews with 35 Ethiopian immigrants. The women’s testimony could help explain the almost 50-percent decline over the past 10 years in the birth rate of Israel’s Ethiopian community. According to the program, while the women were still in transit camps in Ethiopia they were sometimes intimidated or threatened into taking the injection. “They told us they are inoculations,” said one of the women interviewed. “They told us people who frequently give birth suffer. We took it every three months. We said we didn’t want to.

Women who immigrated from Ethiopia eight years ago say they were told they would not be allowed into Israel unless they agreed to be injected with the long-acting birth control drug Depo Provera.

I'm waiting to hear more about the investigation, but this looks really bad.

FellOnEarth

Temecula, CA

April 2006

JAN 28, 2013 05:01 AM

In terms of birth control, Depo-Provera really isn't a desirable choice when other alternatives are available. If the Ethiopians were really so receptive to the idea of birth control, why weren't less harmful and controllable methods made available to them?

Here's what Planned Parenthood has to say about the disadvantages of Depo-Provera:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Some women may have undesirable side effects while using the birth control shot. But many women adjust to it with few or no problems. Serious problems do not occur often.

Irregular bleeding is the most common side effect, especially in the first 6 to 12 months of use.
For most women, periods become fewer and lighter. After one year, half of the women who use the birth control shot will stop having periods completely.
Some women have longer, heavier periods.
Some women have increased spotting and light bleeding between periods.
These side effects are completely normal. Some woman may worry that they are pregnant if they do not have a regular period. But when the birth control shot is used correctly, it is very effective. If you are concerned about a possible pregnancy, you can always take a pregnancy test.

There are also some less common side effects:
change in sex drive
change in appetite or weight gain
depression
hair loss or increased hair on the face or body
headache
nausea
sore breasts
There is no way to stop the side effects of Depo-Provera — they may continue until the shot wears off, in 12 to 14 weeks.

It’s important that you find a method that won’t make you feel sick or uncomfortable. If the side effects from the birth control shot continue to bother you, talk with your health care provider.

Because the birth control shot is long lasting, it can take a long time to get pregnant after getting your last shot — anywhere from 6–10 months. So, Depo-Provera is not a good birth control method for you if you’re thinking of getting pregnant soon.

Serious problems usually have warning signs. Report any of these signs to your health care provider immediately:
a new lump in your breast
major depression
migraine with aura — seeing bright, flashing zigzags, usually before a very bad headache
pus, pain for many days, or bleeding where you were given the shot
unusually heavy or prolonged vaginal bleeding
yellowing of the skin or eyes
Although Depo-Provera is highly effective in preventing pregnancy, in the very rare cases where pregnancy does occur, it is more likely to be an ectopic pregnancy, which can be life threatening.

Women who use the birth control shot may have temporary bone thinning. It increases the longer they use it. Bone growth begins again when women stop using the shot. Talk with your health care provider about the risks. You can help protect your bones by exercising regularly and getting extra calcium and vitamin D, either through the food you eat or from vitamin supplements.

If this is really behind the change in birth rates among all Ethiopian immigrants... Fuck. That would mean a systematic and de facto sterilization of women. Talk about echoes of the holocaust.

Otoki

SUICIDEGIRL

Minnesota, USA

JAN 28, 2013 06:25 AM

It's not a sterilization, because it's not permanent. HOWEVER, it is disgusting if this really was systematically being given to women who didn't understand or want the medication.

CoyoteMike

Iowa City, IA

May 2006

JAN 28, 2013 07:07 AM

Israel is really starting to remind me of that annoying little shit in every elementary class that does mean things to classmates, then says "better leave me alone or my big brother will come beat you up!"