A registered public health nurse, Mrs Roseline Akinlabi, has called for collective efforts to dispel myths and misconceptions about family planning methods.
Akinlabi , the Adolescent and Youth S and Sexual Reproductive Health Desk Officer, Osun Primary Healthcare Board during a virtual engagement programme organised by the State Public Health media team with the support of a Non-governmental Organisation, The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in Osogbo.
She said that the various myths and misconception about family planning methods had led to high prevalence of teenage pregnancy, high maternal, mortality and morbidity rate in the state and the country at large.
Akinlabi also said that this had led to reduced use of modern contraception rate and increased risk of high-risk pregnancies in the society.
She spoke on the topic ” The impacts of Family Planning Myths And Misconceptions on Spacing, Unplanned Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion”.
” Myths and misconceptions about family planning negatively impact child spacing and abortion rates by preventing the use of contraceptives, leading to unwanted pregnancies, and subsequently, more abortions.
” These false beliefs create barriers to access and utilisation of family planning methods, increasing the risks of unwanted pregnancies and risky sexual behaviour.
” There is urgent need to debunk these myths and equip individuals with accurate facts to make informed decision about our reproductive health.
” It is our collective responsibilities to dispel rumour about contraceptives, raise awareness about the benefits of family planning and create safer spaces for our girls and women”, she said.
Akinlabi also said that the popular beliefs that contraceptives pills could encourage infidelity and permanent infertility in women were not correct.
She also said that contraceptives pills could not cause cancer of the ovary and the lining of the uterus in women as being misconstructed.
Akinlabi, however, said that myths and misconceptions were the major challenge to uptake of family planning in the state and the country at large.
She said family planning empowers individuals to choose the number, spacing and timing of their children, leading to improved health outcomes for the mother and the child.
She commended TCI for their various interventions programmes in promoting family planning in the state.
