pISSN 1226-6051
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Table. 3.

Table. 3.

Perception and actual condition of sex and contraception of North Korean defector women in China

Education and recognition of sexuality• During their stay in China after defecting from North Korea, these women learned new information about contraception and actually tried various contraceptive methods.
• Information on contraception acquired in China was mostly through friends or acquaintances, and even when contraceptive methods were used, they were still poorly understood about contraception because they had not received enough explanation from the healthcare professional regarding the method.
Examples of application and experiences of contraception• “It was not until I came to China that I first noticed that there was a condom and it was also the first time in China that oral contraceptives were available.”
• There were many obstetric clinics in China, but medical expenses were expensive. So, they had to go downtown or city central in order to get medical treatments.
• When gave birth to one child, Chinese health authority forced loop contraceptive procedure to them. The cost should be borne by the patient, but it was cheaper than general obstetrics and gynecology. After doing that, they felt comfortable because they did not have to worry about contraception thereafter.
Summary• They had acquired new knowledge and information about contraception, but they could not escape from the lack of usage and customs and followed the lives of the refugees.
• During the period of stay in China, there were no health benefits and the physical and mental health of the refugees were deteriorated because of the avoidance of the Chinese government’s birth-control policy.
Korean J Clin Pharm 2019;29:33-44 https://doi.org/10.24304/kjcp.2019.29.1.33
© 2019 Korean J Clin Pharm