Roundup: E.C., Family Planning Access, and a Do It Yourself Condom

by Robin Marty, RH Reality Check

March 2, 2010 - 10:06am (Print)

Misinformation about contraception, insufficient sex ed, political leaders bowing down to the Catholic church over family planning. Nope, this time it's not just a problem for the United States. It's happening all over the world. Read on for a little more global knowledge, and learn how to make your own condom, too!

In Pakistan, surprisingly, more people are beginning to use emergency contraception, despite the overwhelming religious leanings of a majority of the country. Use has been increasing greatly since it became better understood among the general public that the pills would not affect an already established pregnancy. However, there is still a great deal of misinformation about the pills out in the public.

A recent study, though, indicates that even healthcare providers may have limited knowledge about ECP, and may thus cause more harm than good should they be consulted about it.

The study, conducted in 2009 in a Karachi teaching hospital to assess the knowledge of family medicine providers and their attitudes towards emergency contraception, concluded that there were "clear gaps in knowledge of ECP among healthcare providers".

Of the 45 physicians, nurses, pediatricians, family-planning service providers, and family doctors interviewed, for instance, only 33 percent replied that emergency contraception was not an abortifacient while 42 percent were unsure.

In addition, 44 percent of the respondents cited teratogenicity or the risk of producing foetal malformation as among the barriers to ECP use, while 31 percent said that "it will promote promiscuity".

There's a lot of myths that need to be exposed still, but at least information is beginning to flow. Obviously, it could be worse. In Tasmania, a public forum was held to discuss how sex ed could be better taught in schools, and the general consensus was that anything would be an improvement.

Some young women addressing the audience admitted there was little information available.

"Most of what I learnt, I learnt from my Dad, and my sister got pregnant, and He just looks at me and he goes 'don't you get any ideas, I'll swing you 'round the clothesline'," said one young woman.

Another described how some teens devise their own contraception.

"A layer of gladwrap, a layer of aluminium foil to re-inforce it, and then two more layers of gladwrap, and that's the kind of things that they're resorting to 'cause obviously they don't have the right education," she said.

If there's one thing that is clear in the struggle for access to good reproductive health care, it's that much of it relies on who is in power in the government. Politicians get to be the final decision on what laws are passed and what does or does not get funded. This has become very clear in the Phillipeans, where family planning advocates are pushing to have non-contraceptive friendly candidates pushed off the ballot before the next election.

Family planning advocates in the predominantly Catholic country are calling on voters to ditch candidates opposed to government funding of contraceptives before the 10 May poll for presidential, legislative and local representatives.

“If they want us to vote for them, they should allocate funding for contraceptives. We want a real reproductive health programme here in Manila,” said Fe Nicodemus, 50, a reproductive health campaigner.

Nicodemus has been fighting Manila’s local government over an executive order issued in 2000 by then Mayor Lito Atienza, which prohibits the provision of modern contraceptives and sterilization at the city’s public health facilities.

The city has since selected a new mayor, but calls to repeal the order have been ignored - which Nicodemus said was contributing to a worsening reproductive health situation in the capital.

"In Manila, girls as young as 14 get pregnant. There are 18-year-old girls who already have four children,” Nicodemus told IRIN. “They come to my house to ask for help. In spite of the [order], we make a stand to help these children, even if the village officials threaten to arrest us."

Mini Roundup: So much money spent on prescription drugs, so many pills being wasted.

March 1, 2010

Medication Abortions Now Offered in Springfield - WCIA-3 News

Whatever works - Economist

UNDP WATCH: Rising populations and overseas aid

Antiabortion activists see a racial conspiracy - Los Angeles Times

Online storm over woman's abortion blog - Ninemsn

March 2, 2010

Abortion opponents must stop underhanded tactics - Daily Cardinal

The “Womb Lynching” Argument - New Yorker

In Utah, miscarriage = criminal offence « Modus dopens

Tampa mother details abortion on YouTube - 10 Connects