Unmet Need and Practice of Family Planning
Answer the following questions and post your answers here. Cite references if possible.
- What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
Unmet need for family planning refers to the discrepancy between an individual’s fertility preferences and practice of conception. A prime example is the failure to translate a stated desire to avoid pregnancy at an early age into pregnancy-preventive behavior and practice when engaging in sexual activity. This has been observed especially in women who claim they do not want another child or stop bearing children altogether yet continue to engage in less effective, short-acting contraceptive methods, such as pills or condoms (PRB, 2022). Such disparity perpetuate unmet needs for family planning where the reduction of which has been the focus of the Reproductive Health Law, and numerous reproductive health-centered programs and researches for decades. Despite the implementation of such strategies and persistence of health authorities, it is estimated thatc222 million women in low- and middle-income countries have an unmet need for modern contraception and family planning.
Data-driven, evidence-based studies conducted over the years have identified that, other than inaccessibility and lack of knowledge about family planning and use of contraception, there are other prevalent factors and reasons for the continuing high rate of unmet need of family planning in the Philippines.
A leading reason according to a 2017 study conducted among Filipino women is the fear of health side effects associated with modern contraception where 55.9% of the sample expressed concern and lack of counselling about the matter. Misconception and misinformation about family planning and contraception methods are factors for this confusion and hesitation on the availing and seeking advice regarding reproductive health. This fear can be easily resolved if adequate and clear health teaching is employed.
Beside the emotional aspect of such behavior, normative and social acceptability also play a role in the high unmet need for family planning. The role of religion in the Filipino society has always been pressed on perceived gender roles in the country. The probability of receiving hate and being outcasted has always been dwelling which drive women to remain silent and second-think about their desires. Furthermore, it is also important to recognize the deeply prevalent ideals of patriarchy and male dominance in the country. Such underlying influence makes women consider how their decisions sit with their husband and how this might impact their family.
Another reason is the lack of sexual encounter between a married couple. Women who rarely engage in sexual activity with their partner admitted to not using contraceptive methods due to how unnecessary it appears to them. Along with this reason is women’s ambivalence towards bearing children. Their indecisiveness and divided opinion about the use of contraception also contributes to unmet needs on family planning.
It can be seen that beyond the apparent lack of accessibility and awareness as reasons for high unmet needs for family planning, there are other barriers that make Filipinos unable to practice and obtain proper family planning in the country, calling the need for improvement and change.
- What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give least 1-2 suggestions.
To address this concerning trend, first, we must center our focus and attention to educating and empowering women, girls, and families. As stated in the previous questions, accounting for more than 50% of the surveyed population, fear of the possible adverse effects of modern contraception has women who desire better reproductive health outcomes for themselves are unable to pursue such desires due to unfounded fear. If sufficient education is provided, such notions can be cleared and clarified, leaving Filipino women more empowered and autonomous to make choices for themselves and their bodies. It also reduces the spread of further misinformation as the women themselves maybe attributing to the rampancy of this collective hesitance. Just like any health infrastructure or setting, concern should be addressed rightfully and immediately as such women who expresses their concerns about family planning and contraception methods should be enlightened.
Second, strategies in promoting and establishing family planning among Filipinos should be altered and improved. According to one study published in 2019 about factors associated with unmet need for family planning among young women in the Philippines, it was determined that there is need for variability in strategies that target young and older age groups. Though people are able to come into contact and learn from health programs conducted by the health sector, few are actually putting it into practice. Such data provokes an alteration or improvement to how reproductive health teaching is delivered. Furthermore, it also emphasizes that only women but also men should be receivers of strategies and frameworks designed for family planning.
Third, governmental support and provision of resources and funding for the continuous campaign of reproductive health services and education should be held at importance of the governing body. Otherwise, conduction of planned interventions may be halted and would result to having higher rate of unmet needs by the Filipino people.
References
Latorre, A.A.E. (2019). Factors associated with unmet need for family planning among young women in the Philippines. PJHRD, 23 (2). ISSN: 2704-3517. https://pjhrd.upm.edu.ph/index.php/main/article/view/276
Machiyama, K., Casterline, J.B., Mumah, J.N. et al. (2017). Reasons for unmet need for family planning, with attention to the measurement of fertility preferences: protocol for a multi-site cohort study. Reprod Health 14, 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-016-0268-z https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218187’
Nagai M, Bellizzi S, Murray J, Kitong J, Cabral EI, et al. (2019) Opportunities lost: Barriers to increasing the use of effective contraception in the Philippines. PLOS ONE 14(7): e0218187. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218187
Sedgh, G., Ashford, L.S. & Hussain, R. (2016, June). Unmet Need for Contraception in Developing Countries: Examining Women’s Reasons for Not Using a Method. Guttmacher Institute. https://www.guttmacher.org/report/unmet-need-for-contraception-in-developing-countries