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What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
According to the study conducted by Casterline, Perez, and Biddlecom, entitled Factors Underlying Unmet Need for Family Planning in the Philippines, the following are the reasons for the high unmet needs of Family Planning in the Philippines:
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Weakly Held Fertility Preferences
Weak adherence to the expressed fertility preferences is one of the reasons for high unmet needs of family planning in the Philippines. Because, as the study suggests, these people with preferences show virtually no difference to those with no preferences or nonusers (of contraceptive practices). Moreover, the interview conducted by the study revealed that some contraceptive users, especially those who are desiring another child, showed unclear mixed feelings or contradictory ideas even though they are relatively firm with their expressed preferences.
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Women’s Perception of Being at Low Risk of Conceiving
Women’s perception of being at low risk of conceiving is one the reasons for high unmet needs for family planning. According to the study, some women who perceived themselves as low risk for pregnancy are those who had difficulties conceiving at some point in their reproductive lives. Also, some acknowledge that they are too old to get easily pregnant and some of them revealed that they rarely have intercourse with their partners. Although some of these women admit that there is still a risk of becoming pregnant, it is just too small to justify the inconveniences and expenses brought by using contraceptives.
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High “Cost” of Using Contraceptive Methods
The high “cost” of using contraceptive methods includes the unacceptability of contraception methods both socially and culturally, perceived health effects of contraception, and the difference between the husbands’ and wives’ preferences.
According to the study, using contraceptive methods is not really unacceptable, both culturally and socially. However, culture somehow dictates the acceptable contraceptive methods, for example, some religious cultures are often more in favor of using natural family planning methods.
Some couples are also anxious of the different detrimental side effects of contraception thus preventing them from practicing contraceptive methods. Aside from the side effects, they are also afraid of the consequences of the method including the do’s and don’ts of certain methods.
The difference in the preferences by the couple also contributes to the barriers to the practice of contraception. Husband’s perception of the social acceptability of contraceptive methods and its accessibility, the possible effects on health of their spouse, and the possible expenses (cost) on the practice of contraception are some of the factors that contribute mainly to the difference between the preference of the couple.
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What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give least 1-2 suggestions.
Increase Awareness, Accessibility, and Assurance
By increasing awareness, it means that we educate people about their possible options, its benefits, and how to perform it. We should also try to incorporate sex education on our education curriculum to increase the student’s knowledge about these things. Increasing accessibility, means making more facilities wherein counseling can be done, increasing the funding for contraceptives, and making contraception methods affordable to everyone. Increasing assurance means that we should reassure and reinforce to them that contraceptives are safe, that they do have some risk but they do have more benefits.
References:
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. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2137886