- What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
- In a study about the factors underlying the unmet need for family planning in the Philippines, there are various reasons included in a framework that explains the existence of the problem. One of these reasons is that women have weak preferences to practice contraception which may be due to their belief that they are in low risk of being pregnant or they simply have weak desire to postpone childbearing. Next reason is that women are not aware and informed of the necessary information regarding contraception, this may be because of their socioeconomic status and the lack of access to reproductive care information. The high costs of contraception is also included in these factors. Social and cultural perspectives surrounding the use of contraceptives was also encompassed in the study. Another explanation would be the fear of health implications and side effects of contraceptives to women’s body. The husband’s perspective can also be an obstacle as they have their own fertility preferences and perception of the costs of contraception. I personally believe that since the country is religious and traditional, the high unmet needs for family planning is mainly due to the belief that talking about sex and contraception openly is a taboo, this prevents other women and the youth of being aware of the existence of contraceptive measures.
Reference:
Casterline, J. B., Perez, A. E., & Biddlecom, A. E. (1997). Factors Underlying Unmet Need for Family Planning in the Philippines. Studies in Family Planning, 28(3), 173–191. https://doi.org/10.2307/2137886
- What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give
least 1-2 suggestions.
To help address the prevalent unmet needs for family planning, one strategy in order for family planning to go forward is for the government to conduct effective IEC and IPC programs that aim to educate and inform people of reproductive age and parents on the necessary information about family planning. This involves educating the people about the different kinds of contraceptives so that they would be able to identify the kind that is more accessible and appropriate for them. This also includes addressing their concerns regarding the side effects of contraceptives and other information related to reproductive health. I think that knowledge is truly power, one that can help people to make informed choices that will ultimately improve their and their future children’s lives.
Another suggestion I would like to make is to get the men and husbands involved. This emphasizes the importance of the health family aspect of family planning wherein it is the responsibility of every member of the family and not just the mothers. By doing this we also make the men aware of their roles and the importance of family planning so that they can properly perform these roles. This can be done by requiring their attendance in family planning counseling and other programs.
Reference:
Malhotra, V., & Bhat, S. (2014). Strategies for family planning going forward - social marketing & expanding contraceptive choices package. The Indian journal of medical research, 140 Suppl(Suppl 1), S6–S8.