What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
I think the main reason for high unmet need of FP in the Philippines is an individual’s socioeconomic status. Even if people have knowledge regarding the family planning methods, if they can’t afford to avail one or don’t have any access to any available family planning methods, they won’t be able to utilize them. I think there’s also an inadequate knowledge where individuals are not able to follow through all the steps necessary for the family planning method to be effective. There’s a gap in the knowledge and skills that we need to address. Information should be accessible to the public, worded in such way that everybody would be able to understand it.
Upon further research, I’ve found out that weak, inconsistent, and ambivalent fertility preferences are likely to be the major cause on non-use and unmet need for family planning as stated fertility preferences may not be fixed, and they may be inconsistent, unstable or contradictory. They may change overtime leading to non-adherence to family planning methods. There’s also the generic disapproval of preventing pregnancy. This is very prevalent in a Catholic country like the Philippines where life is sacred and anything that inhibits the proliferation of life is prohibited. Religious people might even see family planning as sinful as it contradicts God’s order to, “Go forth and multiply.” There’s also the perceived low-risk of getting pregnant where conditions such as infertility, lactational amenorrhea, sexual abstinence, and low coital frequency leads to inconsistent use of contraceptives as there’s only a small chance of conception. Lastly, there’s the partner-related factors as using family planning methods is a choice both the couple need to make. Perceived or actual partner’s fertility preferences, attitudes to contraception and communication may influence woman’s decision-making
What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give least 1-2 suggestions.
In order to increase the practice of family planning in our country, we should make information regarding all family planning methods available to the public, worded in a way that everybody would be able to understand them. If people are equipped with the knowledge and skills, they are more likely to be able to follow through the family planning process. With this, conversation about family planning would be normalized and there would be a higher rate of practice of family planning method in the Philippines. Family planning methods should also be accessible and readily-available so that anyone can use them anytime. Cheap or free family planning methods should be offered to the public for them to be able to fully utilize it. In order to do this, there should be enough funding to provide for our ever-increasing reproductive health need.
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. https://doi.org/10.2307/2137886
Machiyama, K., Casterline, J. B., Mumah, J. N., Huda, F. A., Obare, F., Odwe, G., Kabiru, C. W., Yeasmin, S., & Cleland, J. (2017). Reasons for unmet need for family planning, with attention to the measurement of fertility preferences: Protocol for a multi-site cohort study. Reproductive Health, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-016-0268-z