By Mary Charlotte Fresco
MediaCore, STII

Suitable and effective motivation to use contraceptives to limit family size among Filipinos remains the missing link in various family planning strategies to control runaway population growth in the country and globally.

“Myths about contraceptives continue to confound many women worldwide.  Approximately half of the four billion people of reproductive age use no contraception at all.  It is important to create a social environment that could motivate and empower people to use family planning methods and one effective way to get this done is by ironing out whatever misconceptions are attached to them,” explained Dr. Ricardo Gonzales, a an expert and medical adviser of the US Agency for International Development.

Dr. Gonzales outlined latest population data and trends as he dispelled the misconceptions on birth control methods during the 1^st Philippine Science Journalists' Association, Inc., (PSciJourn) symposium and general assembly held recently at Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City.

Dr. Gonzales is part of a team working on USAID family planning-social acceptance projects that provide technical and fund assistance to the Philippines in reinforcing its family planning and health programs for over three decades now.  USAID provides about 80% percent of the country's requirements for various contraception commodities such as pills, condoms, IUDs, and injectables.

“Surging birth rates should not be blamed for our long-standing population problem.  Instead, rapid population growth is a result of inept governmental policies that fail to ensure our people's right to have access to comprehensive reproductive health care and poor cultural and social climate that prevent women from distinguishing fact from fiction in the use of contraceptive methods and devices,” Dr. Gonzales added.

National Statistics Office estimates that Philippine population hit 76.5 million in 2000.

Fear of unknown possible side effects and health concerns are the most common reasons for not using contraception based on a USAID family planning survey conducted in 2000, Dr. Gonzales confirmed.

The most common myths uncovered include:

Myth1: Birth control pills can cause tumor in the uterus.

Fact:  Birth control pills are made of soluble components that are flushed out of the body during urine secretion.  No medical cases were reported or recorded yet that cites BCP as cause of cervical or liver cancer.

Myth 2: Intrauterine device or IUD can cause discomfort for males during sexual intercourse.

Fact: Occasionally, males may feel the IUD string, but it is short to cause him any pain or discomfort.  Some reproductive health providers suggest cutting the IUD string shorter.

Myth 3:  IUD can cause infertility.

Fact: The copper sleeves in the arms of IUD are designed to prevent fertilization, not cause infertility.  The fear of infertility may be the result of problems encountered with the use of Dalkon shield, an IUD manufactured and distributed 20 years ago.  These problems include increased risk of infection, infertility, and abdominal pain and cramps.  The IUDs manufactured today are designed to avoid these problems.

Myth 4: Birth control pills can cause significant weight gain.

Fact:  Some women have attributed weight gain to feeling hungrier and stronger appetite while taking pills especially in the first year of use.  One should raise health awareness to avoid the temptation to eat more by monitoring calories intake.

Myth 5: IUD leaves the uterus and travels to unlikely parts of the body.

Fact: No such case has ever been reported and confirmed.

Finding solutions to the population problem will not be as simple and inexpensive.  Probably not one intervention will bring about rapid reductions in fertility rates.  But the overall framework for population stabilization lies in the effective implementation of government family planning programs and policies coupled with strong self-motivation from people who are willing and ready to take the steps, the expert said.