What is your opinion about the practice of family planning? Are you for it or against it?
Every couple or individual has the liberty to choose the number of children they want to have and the freedom to decide the timing and spacing of any pregnancy. Family planning lets couples and individuals protect themselves and their family’s welfare.
Family planning is needed to be introduced to people, especially to Filipino citizens. One reason for this is the minimization of pregnancy complications. In 2017, the maternal mortality ratio for the Philippines was 121 deaths per 100,000 live births and 38% of these deaths were attributed to complications related to pregnancy occurring in the course of labor, delivery, and the puerperium. Through family planning, it will protect women from any health risks that may occur before, during, or after childbirth. According to studies, women who bear more than 4 children are at increased risk for maternal mortality, so they need to plan accordingly. Also, women who get pregnant after the age of 35 are vulnerable to health risks, so they should be protected through careful planning as well. Without family planning, unintended pregnancies and improper birth spacing may occur that may lead to familial stress and financial burden.
The concept of family planning may be frowned upon in our country due to our culture but strengthening such will be beneficial not only for the well-being of the families but also for the country for it helps in reducing poverty and slowing the population growth.
Are you in favor of the Reproductive Health Law and its provisions? Elaborate on your answer.
Before passing the reproductive health law, many raised their opposition and it was even described as “bitter public controversy and political wrangling.” To give you an overview, the law focuses on the provision of universal access to methods of contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care in the Philippines. Due to its content, the Church and other religious and allied groups have hindered its rollout by questioning in the Supreme Court its constitutionality, invoking the state’s responsibility to protect the life of the unborn child.
Despite growing up in a religious household, I am personally in favor of the law because it is easier for the Filipino people to exercise their reproductive rights. With the implementation of the law, family planning services were offered that enabled women to be healthier and have more equal opportunities to pursue an education, a career, and financial security. Moreover, the authorization of sex education in the country increased young people's knowledge and improved their attitudes related to sexual and reproductive health and behaviors. Lastly, the normalization of the use of contraception offers remarkable contributions towards the empowerment of women in multiple ways, including the avoidance of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, increasing the amount of time between successive pregnancies and enabling engagement in educational and economically productive activities.
References
Department of Health. (n.d.-b). What are the benefits of using family planning? | Department of Health website. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://doh.gov.ph/faqs/What-are-the-benefits-of-using-family-planning
Goldberg, J. (2022, February 22). Philippine Supreme Court Upholds Historic Reproductive Health Law. Center for Reproductive Rights. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://reproductiverights.org/philippine-supreme-court-upholds-historic-reproductive-health-law/
Philippine Statistics Authority | Republic of the Philippines. (2021, January 5). Https://Psa.Gov.Ph/Press-Releases/Id/163734. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://psa.gov.ph/press-releases/id/163734
United Nations Population Fund. (2005, June 29). UNFPA Reaffirms Advantages of Investing in Reproductive Health. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://www.unfpa.org/press/unfpa-reaffirms-advantages-investing-reproductive-health