Contraceptives as a Solution to the Population Growth in the Philippines
Introduction
Population growth is one of the known dilemmas that the world has been facingever since until today's modern society. In population growth in the Philippines essay this issue is discussed. According to Oberta and Pernia's study, “Population Growth and Economic Development in the Philippines: What Has Been the Experience and What Must Be Done” one of the main reasons recognized about the population growth in the Philippines is the ambiguous support and initiative given by the government. In a recent review of the correlation of population growth and development with particular attention to Asia, the Philippines was grouped with India, as countries having good initial population schemes that have been a representation for many countries in the sector but was abandoned behind by nearest countries in terms of demographic transition.
The use of contraception to forestall pregnancies could be a unique health intervention because it reduces risks of sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea and unwanted pregnancies that add up in the Philippines' growing population. Nevertheless, contraception prevents theexchange of semen and vaginal fluids between partners.Couples in sexual relationships choose to have safe sex for the reasons, one or both partnersdo not wish to conceive a baby and avertpossibilities of getting sexually transmitted diseases. The Philippine Government concerns about the developing numbers of childbearing in the country which officials compensate for social and economic objectives. This is often the case when rapid increment is seen within the population growth. In contrast, according to Joseph Chamie and Barry Mirkin's article, “More Countries Want More Babies: An Analysis”, governments in other countries in low-fertility casesuch as Australia, France, and Germany, promote pronatalist policies to extend the labor supply and national defense. Thus, the effectiveness of contraception permits couples to realize their desired family size and safe intercourse.
Furthermore, the study “The Influence Of Local Policy On Contraceptive Provision And Use In Three Locales In The Philippines”, explains the drastic need to improve destitute women's access to current contraceptives through nomadic and societal distribution, especially in poor areas in Manila and throughout the whole country. Plans and actions for expanding local government support for and provision of modern techniques are also needed with the non-stop population growth of the Philippines.Moreover, proper sex education is also beneficial to couples and partners that have sexual relationships.
Background
In 1999, the Philippines ranked as the fifteenth most populous country in the world and eighth in the Asian region according to the Department of Health. The country's population was foreseen rise from 1995's 68.3 million to 91.8 million by 2010, even if replacement fertility is attained by the year 2010. Decades passed with the ambiguous population growth in the country, family planning programs and contraceptive options has been one of the strategies aimed at managing the population in relation to the developmental needs of the Philippines.Family planning was first introduced in the Philippinesthrough the Population Act of 1971 that family planning was integrated into the government's development plans. With the rising number of unwanted pregnancies in the country, 54% of all pregnancies (1.9 million pregnancies) are reported to be unintended and around 610 000 unsafe abortions are performed each year. Nine percent of women 15 to 19 years of age have begun childbearing. According to Macrotrends, the Philippines' current population is over 111 million, which is a 1.34% growth from last year's 109 million. This result to a major hurdle to the country's efforts and exertions in reducing poverty and aiding Filipino people's living especially the underlying “poor” social class in the Philippines. According to the study “Opportunities lost: Barriers to increasing the use of effective contraception in the Philippines”, missed opportunities to provide family planning counseling and the false stigma of contraceptive methods are widespread in the country.
Filipina women and couples who do not want to conceive children are more likely to use contraception. Calendar Method and withdrawal are two traditional contraceptive methods generally used by Filipino couples. According to the study of Jaldoc, she stated that the unintended pregnancy accounts for around half of the reasons why use of rhythm and withdrawal was discontinued despite the clear distinction in effectiveness between modern and traditional contraceptive methods, a significant number of Filipino women still use traditional family planning methods.Filipino women or couples shy away from modern contraceptives for fear of their side effects, lack of knowledge on different methods and inconvenience of use, in contrast to the relative ease in adopting traditional contraceptive methods.
According to the study of Laguna, Po, and Perez, there is a positive correlation between modern method use and education. Modern contraceptive methods such ascondoms, pills, IUD, and injectables, helped couples and partners to have the decision not to conceive children. Also, these are the individualswho have been educated about the benefits of modern contraceptive. The use ofnatural family planning methods is also elevated among more educated Filipino couple. Most of nonusers of modern contraceptive method have little or less education. Moreover, the proper education of family planning between husbands and wives shows relevance to the modern method use. Discussion of family planning have helped Filipino couples and stabilized the Philippines' rising number of populations.
According to the 1998 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), more than half of all currently married Filipino women were still not using any method of contraception in 1998. Among current users, 10 percent rely ontraditional methods, while 37 percent use a modern method. Female sterilization is the most widely used modern method followed closely by pills.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, The contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) or the proportion of married women 15-49 years reporting current use of contraceptives drops to 47.0 percent in 2000 from the 49.3 percent recorded in 1999. This is primarily caused by the decrease in the use of traditional methods (16.9% to 14.7%), particularly withdrawal (6.7% to 4.8%). Meanwhile, the prevalence rate of modern methods leveled off in the last two years (32.4% in 1999 and 32.3% in 2000). Moreover, Pill is the remain the most popular contraceptive method among married women to 15 to 49 years old with 13.7 percent in 2000.
Contraceptive use among married women peaks at ages 35 to 39 years (54.4%) and is lowest at ages 15 to 19 years (22.9%). About one-third (34.4%) of those in the oldest age group (45 to 49 years) report using a family planning method. Five out of 10 (50.2%) women in non-poor households use a family planning method as compared to only four out of 10 women in poor households (40.1%).
In conclusion, the awareness among Filipino couples and partners to use contraceptives is still very crucial to the economic development of the Philippines. However, due to the lack of access of different social classes, particularly the poor, false stigmas affecting beliefs, religions, and culture, and poor education in the country, these result to the limited knowledge and use of contraception which affect the Philippines' rising population growth. Moreover, the choice of Filipino couples and partners' will determine if the modern or traditional contraceptive are suit to their lifestyles' needs and the maintenance. The Philippine government should make actions to make modern contraceptives more accessible to all Filipino partners given the stigmas put up by different religions and cultures in the country to control the population growth and economic development of the Philippines.
Proposed Solution
Based to the Positive News, they have 5 population solutions to overpopulation. First, Empower women, Studies show that women with access to reproductive health services find it easier to break out of poverty, while those who work are more likely to use birth control. The United Nations Population Fund aims to tackle both issues at once, running microcredit projects to turn young women into advocates for reproductive health. Second, Promote family planning, simply educating men and women about contraception can have a big impact. When Iran introduced a national family planning program in 1989, its fertility rate fell from 5.6 births per woman to 2.6 in a decade. A similar effort in Rwanda saw a threefold increase in contraception usage in just five years. Third, Make education entertaining, The US-based Population Media Center gets creative to reach women. Its radio soap operas, which feature culturally specific stories about reproductive issues, have been heard by as many as 500 million people in 50 countries. In Ethiopia, 63 per cent of women seeking reproductive health services reported tuning in. Fourth, Government incentives, Those at UK charity Population Matters believe there should be a senior government official responsible for addressing population-related issues. They urge governments to promote “responsible parenthood” and say subsidies should be limited to the first two children unless the family is living in poverty. And lastly, one - child legislation, During China's high controversial one-child policy fertility fell from six births per woman in the 1960s to 1.5 in 2014. However, Amnesty International reports that the policy led to coerced or forced abortions and sterilizations. It also disrupted traditional support structures for the elderly and led to a gender imbalance.
According to Everything Connects, In order to reduce the adverse impacts of overpopulation, mitigation measures, such as spreading awareness and education about overpopulation, enacting birth control measures and regulations, and providing universal access to birth control devices and family planning, must be taken. In countries like China, the government has put policies in place that regulate the number of children allowed to a couple, and some leaders and environmentalists are suggesting that the United Nations implement a China-like one-child policy globally to help control and reduce overpopulation gradually.
Based from the Biological Diversity website, Both men and women play a role in human population growth, but when it comes to reproductive decisions, women are disproportionately affected by a lack of empowerment and access to healthcare. Many women are unable to get the contraception or family planning tools they want or need to make decisions about their reproductive futures. Unfortunately lawmakers are currently doing everything they can to restrict reproductive healthcare, including education and access to contraception. Reproductive rights are an environmental issue. In order to make sure we leave room for wildlife, it's critical that every pregnancy is planned and that people take the environment into consideration when planning when or if they want their family to grow. When women have access to voluntary contraception and equal education, they tend to choose to delay childbearing and have smaller families, leading to lower fertility rates. We support unfettered access to education, reproductive healthcare and contraception for women and men, whether they prefer condoms, oral birth control or long-acting contraceptives like an IUD or vasectomy. Every person should have the tools, information and ability to make the best reproductive choice for themselves, their partner and the planet.
Contraceptives are the solution chosen for the Overpopulation in the Philippines. Contraception is a method of Family Planning, before taking any of it you must consult to the doctor in able to be appropriate the method to be used. In order to lessen the population growth, people must be educated about this matter, some people were scared in this method due to the fact that they don't know how to use it or they don't know what it is. Conducting a seminar or meeting in each barangay may help to spread awareness to the people on how and what are the effects of Contraception method. By doing this kind of actions it may educate the people about it and it may enlighten the people, especially women to take this kind of method to be able to control their pregnancy. There are different types of Contraception they can use. The method they want to do it has to be the prescribed by their doctor.
In our family, my auntie was pregnant last year, but after 9 months her daughter didn't make it for the reason of lack of medicine. She does not go to the doctor or clinic for a checkup and that's why her child didn't make it. Her daughter was beautiful, but she ends up dead. After what happened my grandmother told her not to get pregnant, especially since she was old. And for that reason she ends up taking contraceptives, for her not to be pregnant. To my knowledge my aunt uses injected contraceptives that last 1 to 3 months, I asked my grandmother what the details are but she said she doesn't know, I can't ask my aunt because we have a misunderstanding.
Recommendation
The opportunity to use contraception is fundamental for ensuring the lives and rights of Filipino women. Nonetheless, low rates of use have resulted in high rates of unwanted pregnancyin the Philippines, where the women and society have paid dearly in terms of lives, family well being, and government funds. Postponing or spacing babies means allowing men and women to pursue education and career goals that would otherwise be compromised by having a child.
This gives people more power and improves their opportunity to earn more financial resources. Contraception aids in the prevention of pregnancy and the transmission of diseases during sexual intercourse. All adolescents should learn about contraception so that they have the information they need to make clean and comfortable decision making.
Preventing teen pregnancies, Minors can use contraception to avoid unplanned pregnancies, which can have a negative impact on their relationships and hopes for the future. By prohibiting unwanted pregnancies, contraception lessens the need for abortion. As a result, it reduces the number of unsafe abortions, which are one of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide. The use of contraception controls population growth. It is significant since overpopulation places a strain on the environment, the economy, and services including education and health care. Contraception use allows parents and people to plan their pregnancies so that the baby receives the best care before and after birth.
Contraceptives had already moved on a bit since their Introduction. Hormone levels were lessened to the point where side effects are not only greatly reduced, but even considered beneficial. There are currently many other methods of hormonal birth control available, in addition to the pill. The advantages of the contraceptive pill are well known, as it is the most commonly prescribed medication in the world! While the pill has been around the longest, there are many other procedures that are more effective and have other benefits. Please remember that every woman's body is different, so she may experience different effects.
Ovarian cysts have been shown to be reduced by oral contraceptives, reduced menstrual bleeding may also make monthly bleeding easier to manage and reduce personalized experiences, сontraceptives control methods can benefit acne and other hormone-triggered situations. It lowers your risk of uterine cancer, helps to make your periods less traumatic, and lowers your risk of uterine cancer.
