What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
According to a study by Latorre (2019), one of the most common reasons for the high unmet need for FP in the Philippines is the husband’s fertility preference. Based on their findings, husbands who want more children influence the decision on the use of contraceptives between couples. The decision-making process was likely affected by the patriarchal gender norm in the country. It was discovered that couples are less likely to use FP when only the wife wants to limit or cease childbearing. Another reason found in their study was the low level of women’s knowledge about the usual timing of ovulation and the possibility to get pregnant after childbirth and before the return of menstruation. Another reason was also due to the low interaction with a health worker or lower tendencies of health center visits, especially among young women. Inadequate FP counseling was also reported to be experienced by a lot of women who wished to delay pregnancy by consulting public health clinics (Nagai et al., 2019). Aside from the reasons mentioned, I think, the conservative culture, religious beliefs, and societal norms in the Philippines are also major factors affecting the use of FP. There is still a lack of discussion and efforts to increase information dissemination and debunk misconceptions about FP. Traditional perspectives on marriage and childbearing are also prevalent. As a result, women, especially adolescents and unmarried women, face great challenges in accessing FP services and using methods effectively (Nagai et al., 2019).
What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give least 1-2 suggestions
- To increase the practice of FP in the country, factual information about responsible parenthood, respect for life, birth spacing, informed choice, and their importance to health must be accessible to everyone through platforms that can be easily accessed. There should be more discussions about the use of FP and the rights of women in making an informed choice. People who have unmet needs of FP and potential FP users could also be identified and provided visits, consultations, and assistance with their family planning needs.
- One of the barriers to the use of FP in the country is the inaccessibility of its services. Adequate and individualized FP counseling must be readily available in health facilities and must always be given during health care visits or consultations to inform clients about its importance and all the options available to them so that they can attain a safe, legal, and effective reproductive health care service of their choice. Health care providers must be properly trained in providing FP counseling. Additionally, the availability of affordable family planning methods in health facilities must be strengthened, especially in marginalized communities.
References
Nagai, M., Bellizzi, S., Murray, J., Kitong, J., Cabral, E. I., & Sobel, H. L. (2019). Opportunities lost: Barriers to increasing the use of effective contraception in the Philippines. PLOS ONE, 14(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218187
Latorre, A. E. E. (2019). Factors Associated with Unmet Need for Family Planning among Young Women in the Philippines. Philippine Journal of Health Research and Development, 23(2), 10-19. Retrieved from http://scinet.science.ph/union/UploadFiles/download.php?b=276-630-2-PB_367716.pdf&f=../Downloads/276-630-2-PB_367716.pdf&t=application/pdf