The Philippines president Benigno Aquino wants to make the pill free for everyone.
By MIA FREEDMAN
For decades, the contraceptive pill has been allowing women to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
And now it’s saving poverty stricken countries.
Or at least it could be.
The president of The Philippines, Benigno Aquino, wants to give people free access to the pill as a means to save his country from it’s current poverty-ridden state.
If the Reproductive Health Bill is passed by the government, it will not only give the Filipino people access to free birth control, but also access to sex education.
The idea is that the combination of education and contraception will allow families to limit the number of children they’re having. And that in turn means less children born into poor families.
How revolutionary. And brilliant. And also obvious. Surely there are lessons here for other countries including Western ones?
The Philippines has one of the fastest growing populations of South East Asia – but they also have a population that is extremely poor. In one of the countries biggest cities, Mindanao, 30.3 per cent of people had nothing to eat for at least one day in the three months to August, according to this recent report.
So if the people can’t afford food, what’s the chance they can afford contraception?
Not a lot.
39-year-old Cabiya-an is the kind of woman who’s family would benefit from the pill bill. Cabiya-an has 14 children – the oldest in 22 and the youngest is 11 months – and lives in a hut in the Manila slum.
This from NBS News:
Cabiya-an and her 14 children. Picture: Reuters.
“It’s tough when you have so many children,” said Cabiya-an, a shy smile revealing poor teeth. “I have to count them before I go to sleep to make sure no one’s missing.”
At one time Cabiya-an had access to contraception but Manila mayor Jose Atienza, a devout Catholic, swept contraceptives from the shelves of city-run clinics in 2000.
With income of about 7,600 pesos ($180) a month from doing laundry and her husband’s pay as a laborer, Cabiya-an has only been able to send five of her children to school.
The others would appear doomed to join the quarter of the country’s 95 million people stuck below the poverty line.
A recent study in the US which looked at the effect free birth control had on reducing rates of pregnancy, found the rate of unwanted pregnancies dropped dramatically when women were given the contraceptive pill for free.
Well, duh.
The participants were all “uninsured, low-income, or otherwise determined to be at risk for unintended pregnancy” and were offered a range of birth control methods – including the IUD and the pill.
While the average rate of pregnancy for teenage girls in U.S. is 34.3 per 1,000, the women who participated in the two-year study recorded a pregnancy rate of only 6.3 per 1000. And the abortion rate was also dramatically lower.
So there’s adequate reason to believe that if the bill was passed – the birth rate would drop in The Philippines.
But before the Filipinos can start giving away the pill they have to get past the Catholic Church who, unsurprisingly, strongly oppose the idea of free contraception.
No surprises there.
More from NBC News:
Should the pill be free?
It says artificial contraception is immoral, and the bill will pave the way to legalizing abortion. The bill does not legalize abortion though it seeks to improve care for women suffering from complications after an illegal abortion.
The church says people should use natural family planning.
It says poverty is a cause, not effect, of a high birth rate. Children are being born into homes without enough food to eat because of the government’s failure to end corruption and provide jobs, the bishops say.
“It’s our firm belief that contraceptives will never be the answer,” said Father Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Family and Life.
Eighty per cent of people in The Philippines are Catholic. And 70 per cent of people support this idea.
It just seems so logical. Everybody on both ‘sides’ of the fertility choices debate in every country agrees that fewer abortions would be a good thing.
In fact one mantra of the pro choice movement is “Safe, affordable, rare”.
So if sex education and free contraception will dramatically reduce the rate of unwanted pregnancies (and thus abortions, child abuse, child neglect, poverty etc) then surely this is a no-brainer?
Why is nobody here discussing it? Why has it never been raised as an option by any political party? Why?
Comments
94 Comments so far
Free contraception is a great idea, however which pill will be free and what of the women whose bodies don’t suit the ‘free’ pill. This idea also places an awful lot of responsibility on the woman, and if the pill is free and the woman still finds herself with an unwanted pregnancy, because no contraception is 100% effective, I dread to imagine how that will be viewed culturally or socially … and let us not forget that there are adverse affects to taking any form of medication and free contraception for women means women carry this risk burden alone … might be better than an unwanted pregnancy … but again women are made responsible for controlling contraception and not men
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Just wondering why there is no support in the comments for natural family planning?
My husband and I have used it our whole marriage(12 yrs)and have 2 children,both planned.
It is very reliable and is healthy for a womens body.It also encourages communication between spouses and we look forward to the times we can have sex instead of it being on tap.
You learn self control and while at times it is hard I feel the benefits far out weigh any negatives.
Cheers.
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Probably because of its high failure rate. Not everyone has predictable cycles, or the discipline required to control their sexuality like that. I would also imagine in more patriarchal societies that there are men that wouldn’t tolerate being refused sex at those key times.
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Hi
Thanks for your reply.My cycles vary between 28-35 days in length so definitely are not reliable.
Good point about the patriarchal nature of some of these countries.
Cheers.
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I get the generic version from My Chemist. If you are My Chemist member it is even cheaper.., around $20 for 3 months.
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I work in a pharmacy, and if you are a concession card holder, select the less expensive brand, then a pill like levelen is $5.80. Low dose ones are more expensive. I think free is a good idea but its kinda already cheap if you fit the above criteria
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If people want free contraception, give them a condom.
If they can’t afford any other contraception themselves, they should be greatful for that… It does the job. The pill may be easier or feel better etc (for those in monogomous long term relationships who no longer need to worry about STIs) but it is a luxury.
Yes I agree women with medical conditions (i.e. PCOS) that need to be treated with the pill should be able to get it cheaper.
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I wish I could take one of the cheaper contraceptive pills on the market… But I can’t… Extreme migraines, among many other symptoms…. I gave to take the pill due to hormone imbalances in my body and can not use anything but Diane… At around $60 for 3 months and rising living costs I find myself choosing between eating and my health… in the UK I could get the same pill for FREE…. ALL contraceptive pills should be subsidised here as well…. Some of us just do not gave the choice to take the cheaper brands….
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I take the generic version of Diane 35 (Estelle) which uses the exact same ingredients in the same proportions, only costs $32 for 3 months.
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To those talking about the pill in Australia many many women can not take the ‘cheap’ combined contraceptive pill. the pill affects us in different ways and sometime there is NO other option than to have the more expensive pills. Also, different hormonal methods of contraception confer different advantages, have different side effects etc. to put it simply. the couple of subsidised forms of contraception DO NOT suit everyone, nor are the they most beneficial in terms of reproductive health to those taking it.
It is important to take use a contraceptive that is RIGHT for YOU. end result can be something as debilitating as a stroke!
Some people pay up to $90 for a combined pill prescription because they simply can’t take any other pill. And I can assure you, at risk populations like young adults ( mostly students!!) can’t afford to pay rent or eat nutritious meals half the time, and therefore something like a $90 pill will go at the bottom of the needs list.
In places like the UK, all contraceptive pills are subsidised- perhaps something Australia needs to think about doing!
It WOULD be beneficial to subsidise more forms/ types of contraception, and INCREASE age and corresponding lifestyle appropriate sexual education within schools and communities.
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I’m not convinced that the contraceptive pill is the answer.The sides effects are a joke. I think we’ve all been far too cavalier for far too long about ingesting synthetic hormones. Mood swings, depression, headaches, acne, a whole plethora of gastrointestinal side effects, loss of libido… and the list goes on. Offering this for free to people who are too uneducated to understand what it is doing to their bodies, is quite frankly, irresponsible. Barrier contraceptives are less expensive, less dangerous and if used correctly, can be just as effective ( with the added bonus of protection against STDs!) It also puts the onus of family planning back on men, making it a shared responsibility, which it SHOULD be. Education is what is needed, so that people can take charge of their fertility and in turn, break the cycle of poverty.
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Education is the goal, but even that doesn’t work, does it? Pretty much everyone in Australia, men and women, know about risks of pregnancy and of STIs, but they still have unprotected sex regularly.
Yes, family planning SHOULD be a shared responsibility, but demanding that of people is never going to work. The introduction of the pill finally gave women a way of controlling their risk of pregnancy without having to force their partners to wear a condom. Particularly in lower-educated areas, where women tend to be less empowered in their relationships, the pill gives women a way to control this on their own.
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This may have been said before, but the pill is free in the UK, including to myself as an Australian living in the UK.
Also, I have found Yasmin is the best contraception for myself, that is not cheap at $70-80 for 3 months,does everyone get this choice or do some women get stuck on cheap contraceptives that may not be the best for them?
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The Marina/IUD costs $20 and lasts up to five years.. cigarettes are more expensive!
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I have one. The device cost $250, insertion was $200- it does still work out to be cheaper over the five years than the pill, but it’s certainly not $20!!! Still an awesome contraceptive
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it isnt $20 in Australia. its $130. Provided you can get bulk billed to get it put in. If not its + $65 min to get it put it.
And all of that depends on whether a doctor will actually put it in for you if you haven’t delivered a child. At 21, it took me 8 months to find a doctor that would put one in. Even then they told me it would be ‘difficult for them’ because my cervix hadnt stretched. Ive since found it is just something they don’t like to do because it is time consuming and annoying for them. Go Figure
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The merena isn’t suitable for everyone. There is a chance, rare but still possible, that you can develop an infection. Most obstetricians do not like to put them in young women who have not finished having children due to this risk. I know there are public hospitals in Qld that run clinics where these are inserted for free. If you have not had children vaginally, you may require sedation for the procedure as it is a technically more difficult and uncomfortable procedure. I think it is short- sighted to suggest doctors can’t be bothered to do it, there’s generally a clinical reason behind it. Additionally, the amount of hormone (progesterone) required to provide contraceptive benefit is minute compares with implenon or the progesterone based Ocp. It also has the benefit of reducing periods in most women, and in approx 30 percent of women, periods no longer occur. This can be amazing for some women who have very heavy periods following childbirth.
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You can get non hormonal IUD – Multiload®, Load Cu 375® and TT 380 . IUD – both hormonal and non hormonal – work in part bu irritating the uterine lining. This causes slight inflammation which means that a fertilised egg cannot implant.
An IUD in itself does not cause infection – if you are exposed to an STD when you have an IUD, because of the uterine inflammation, there is a greater risk of the infection spreading.
I’ve used IUD’s for 15 years – extremely convenient, I’ve had no side effects (heavier bleeding and more painful periods are not uncommon side effects because of the afore mentioned inflammation) and am very happy with not having any synthetic hormones in my system.
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The idea that free contraception will reduce abortion in Australia astounds me. The pill is cheap, even on low income. If you have an abortion in Australia it’s not because you can’t afford the pill.
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Well, no. It really depends on what pill you’re on, what variation you’ve found best suits your body, what you react to, what you don’t react to etc. There are many different pills on the market at different prices. It may be called ‘The Pill,’ but that doesn’t mean there is a singular standardised price across the board. And when you’re down to thirty bucks and have to choose between feeding yourself for a week (barely feeding yourself at that) and The Pill, it’s not a no brainer and things don’t seem so cheap. Get some perspective or even some information on the issue.
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Really? Well if you can’t afford the pill then you definitely can’t afford an abortion. My pill costs me about $60 for three months and that’s way cheaper than an abortion.
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Mine is $80 a month, more when I skip the sugar pills (which I do on the advice of doctors). I can afford it, but many may not be able to.
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Mine costs about $90 for three months. because all the rest destroy me. Not everyone is the same. For some that is well out of reach on a regular basis
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I love slippery slope reasoning. If I couldn’t afford The Pill, I couldn’t afford an abortion; if I couldn’t afford an abortion, I definitely couldn’t afford a child. So I feel bad for those on the poverty line who are having children they can’t afford to support because contraception is not a heavily subsidised resource (unless it’s an earlier, basic variety that knocks your body and mentality around no end) – can’t afford the pill, can’t afford abortion, have a child! Yeah, that makes sense.
As an aside, I can’t take the pill. It taps into my depression and exacerbates my roller-coaster ride over the smallest thing. Because of this, I’m subjected to paying $30 a month (at least) for a low dose vaginal ring – still drives me to distraction, but not to the point where I’m catatonic on the floor. As Anon pointed out, just because I can afford to and she can afford to, doesn’t mean everyone else can.
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There is still the train of thought that IUDs and the mini pill can be abortifacients because they don’t necessarily prevent ovulation and fertilization, but implantation of the blastocyst and because of some believing that is where life begins……
Personally I think it’s crap and the spokesperson for the catholic church should probably be wrapped up extra snugly in his ceremonial robes for a long time, but sadly these sort of ideals hold sway in so many parts of the world.
I hope this bill is passed for the sake of the Filipinos.
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It’s not suggested here because it’s really affordable in australia. I’m on a low income but not so low I need a health care card, and I pay $14 for a 4 month supply of levlen. Even for poor-ish people that’s easy.
Sounds like an obvious idea in poorer countries with high birth rates though. And also, education! It doesn’t need to be insanely thorough, just explain how easy it is to get pregnant without protection, and how easy it is to prevent it with contraception. Simple.
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I agree. The pill is affordable here. You can get Levlen in discount pharmacies for as little as $10 for 4 months (thats what I was paying!). Education is what is needed in Australia. And lets not lump all the responsibility on females. Lets teach boys what kind of real responsibilities they have if they end up a dad and see if they’ll pressure their 16 year old girlfriend into sex anymore.
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Anything that reduces the number of pregnancy terminations has got to be a good thing.
The mantra of “available, safe and rare” should be shouted from the rooftops
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In Australia, a number of standard contraceptive pills are available on the PBS.
This means, that if you require financial assistance, a three month supply will cost less than $6, with a health care card. That is a significant contribution to the cost of this medication by the government. At less than $2 per month, I think we make this very affordable & accessible to everyone. Even at full price, standard pills are not expensive.
If you choose to take a more expensive option of the pill, that is your choice, and it should absolutely be a private script paid out of your pocket.
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can you tell me the name of this pill that is so cheap?
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the pill should be further subsidised here. i can’t agree that people make a “choice” to pay more for their contraceptive pill. the pill is not just used for contraception. as someone with PCOS, it is necessary for me to stay on the pill. and also as someone prone to depression, my pill happens to cost me an absurd $90 for three months. i know for a fact this same brand pill is free overseas… perhaps we should follow suite with retailers and find out ways to buy this stuff online, i for one cannot afford it
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http://www.pbs.gov.au/medicine/item/1394J
That is a standard, subsidized pill.
I actually think for PCOS there should be an authority available & those who require that medication should be able to get it for ~$36. (gov price)
As a note, I choose to be on an expensive pill, as I get less weight gain & acne. But that is not me simply needing contraception. They are choices in my medication that I think I should pay for.
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That’s actually a 4 month supply, with a full cost around $20. Subsidised <$6. About $5 per month full price. That is pretty affordable for all.
This is simple, effective contraception, & as this is what the article is focusing on (not medical conditions such as PCOS, or woman wanting extra 'benefits' to their pill)
Thus, I strongly believe that contraception, in Australia is already very affordable & accessible, & does not need further funding. The costs to the government provide all woman with a simple pill- $20 per packet= $60 per year. Say 3 million woman choose this, suddenly it's an extra $200 million government medical budget per year. I
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One last point if the government did give free pills, it would be the absolute basic pill. It wouldn’t be any of the expensive added benefit pills anyways. So anyone paying large amounts for a specialized pill now, would still be paying for it.
Albie- I cannot advise against buying medication online from overseas strongly enough. The risks are not worth it. Putting substances into your body- you really need to know what you’re getting. Safety with medication is so important
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When I was living in the UK any contraceptive pill I wanted was free. It can be done.
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My husband works for a pharmaceutical wholesaler and he buys microgynon (the expensive brand listed in your link) for 80 (euro) cents per three month cycle. So the cost to the government wouldn’t be anywhere near as high as you suggest for the pills listed.
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$30 / month for important medication is pretty reasonable. I pay about the same for tablets for high blood pressure. And in the past Ive been on multiple medications that cost about the same each month. Sure it should be heavily subsidised for those on low incomes (and there are further safety nets for even well off people who have to spend a lot on medication). But for those on reasonable salaries it seems quite reasonable. Many out there would spend more each month on their mobile phone plan.
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I used to get it for around $3 a month, i think, on a healthcare card when i was at uni.
There are also very affordable other options, like the arm implant which lasts three years & costs about $35 (just over $10 a year!) without a healthcare card…would be cheaper with one. Just googled it and $35 is actually on the high side…its often about $25.
I totally get Mia’s point re: the philippines but healthcare here is generally accessible & affordable
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Yes, but you’ll find that the pills available on the PBS aren’t the newer ‘low’ dosage ones that the majority of women are on because of health benefits of taking them. Women shouldn’t have to take high dosage ones developed decades ago when there are newer, better options because of the cost factor.
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I think giving the pill away for free isn’t the best idea. I think barrier contraceptives like condoms would be a much better way to go. What are the positives of not getting pregnant if you get AIDS in the process?
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Why not both then? Barrier methods require the male to put one on – the BCP is controlled by the woman herself. And pregnancy plus AIDS would be a nightmare.
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Why would you engage in sex with a man who isn’t willing to put one on?
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They also need to consider reducing the cost of permanent contraception such as the vasectomy. We have finished our family and I am unable to take the pill (I have very bad reactions – plus the current favoured range of pills has lactose and I am lactose intolerant, so that counts me out). We have finally been able to find the cash to have hubby done, but still at a cost that we can barely afford. If the procedure was cheaper we would have had it done years ago (our youngest is nearly 5 now).
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I had my tubes clamped under medicare; is this not available for a vasectomy?
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My husband recently had a vasectomy as a public patient – no charge at all!
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Hi Carmen,
My husband had a vasectomy after we’d finished our children, and it was covered under medicare, so I would ask your doctor why you aren’t covered? It was a 12 month wait, and we paid nothing, unless you want to go private and not wait, I think it’s the same for everyone. Hope that helps.
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I think it’s ridiculous how people say if you can “afford it” you shouldn’t be eligible. It’s with no thanks to all of us high income earners that everyone else is able to receive these benefits. When the hell do we get rewarded????
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Charlotte – you get rewarded with your high income. I’d probably be eligible for free contraception if it were offered here…. I’d much prefer to have a high income and pay for it!
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I worked hard to be able to earn a high income… it wasn’t handed to me.
Once I am taxed, paid my mortgage, bought all of my baby items (without the bonus) there’s not much of a reward left. Just so you know.
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Good for you that you can pay a mortgage. Good for you that you can pay for baby items. Good for you that you have “not much of a reward left” – that would imply there is still
SOMETHING even though it isn’t much.
A lot of poor people can’t do these things. I think you’d agree that getting your high income isn’t easy. Neither is getting out of the cycle of poverty.
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I think the saying is… bite the hand that feeds you… but anyway…
I do agree Cathy. I never said otherwise. I was just merely stating that seeing as high income earners pay a lot of tax which goes towards benefits it might be nice to receive something in return.
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You get to live in a society where poverty of the type seen by Cabiya-an is not seen. I know Australia could do better by our most vulnerable citizens, but I work hard and get a high salary and would gladly pay for her kids to go to school to get an education. If a child has the intellectual ability and the work ethic to become an excellent doctor, I would rather educate them then have them begging in the streets or selling at the markets to support themselves and their families instead of going to school. Working hard and earning a high salary has a lot of benefits – feel grateful to be one of the privileged.
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Charlotte, be glad you’re in the situation financially you’re in.
What do you get back? The option to use the health care, education system for nothing. The firies and police come to you when called. Roads are built for you to drive on (admittedly some are crap) and at a local level, your water is supplied, waste goes far away and your rubbish picked up and parks provided.
This is what your taxes pay for.
We don’t get benefits, by which I presume you mean family benefit tax a /b and a large rebate on your child care. We didn’t get any sort of paid maternity leave either, or maternity allowance and I don’t actually care.
BTW, I’ve also had a number of HECS debts.
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Actually Fabian I don’t get to use the health care system for free. If I don’t have private health care I pay much more tax…
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Not to mention PBS (pharmaceutical benefits scheme), Medicare rebates, child care tax rebates, private health insurance rebates etc.
Charlotte you ‘get’ plenty. I really don’t know why you are complaining.
(BTW I am also a high income earner who worked very hard to get there).
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I stand corrected then, but nearly everyone that pays tax pays a Medicare levy. We (yes I’m included too) just pay more. Considering what family hospital cover costs, it’s still a lot more than the extra Medicare levy.
I guess I was getting at the fact that you aren’t presented with a bill at a public hospital.
I still think you’re fairly resentful about your position of privelige.
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Look, I think you need to consider where Charlotte is coming from. My guess she may be my age or similar. We had HECS debts, no baby bonus, no paid maternity leave and basically had to work very hard for every cracker we have earned. And while we realise we’re lucky the thanks we get for that it to pay through the nose for everything including private healthcare and the gap fees or we are taxed more if we dont.
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Exactly. Thanks Chillax. Everything you said is completely true!
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Bec- I am grateful for to be so privileged… you’re completely missing my point.
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I think that maybe, Charlotte, you need to rethink your use of the phrase “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” when you’re talking about poor people- or in the least people in society not as privileged as you. It comes across as patronising when many people from lower socioeconomic classes work very hard and I’m sure many would of course choose to be in your position, or in a position where they did not have to rely on government support to get by if they could, it might just well be that they weren’t so lucky. Reminding poor people that they shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds them implies that they owe you something. They don’t. They’re people too.
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Actually Cathy I was referring to the fact that you were painting a picture of me as an ungrateful, uncaring person who contributes a lot to society.
My original post was referring to the fact that in the UK I received many benefits yet in Australia we don’t – however we pay enormous amounts of tax with no recognition for our contributions.
I am in no way making reference to people in the Phillipines.
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Cathy – it isn’t just luck either. I grew up in poverty and now middle class. And I worked my @ss off to get there from age 12. I also made a lot of sacrifices and tough decisions.
Some of your points are valid and true, others are victim statements, and I’ve heard them a lot in my family when gowing up ‘oh poor poor me’ ‘my life happened to me this way’. It doesn’t get someone anywhere – planning and taking action does.
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Star I know I get plenty! I never said I don’t get anything. My point is that without the tax that high income earners contribute a lot of people would go without. Yet high income earners (who work damn hard for their own money) don’t get anything extra and in fact get no benefit or reward for their contribution to society over and above what the lower income earners receive.
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Charlotte, one benefit which lower income earners don’t receive is negative gearing. In fact, most middle income earners probably don’t. The beneficiaries of that particular break tend to be in the higher income brackets
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Sorry Charlotte, let me get this right, you think you should be rewarded for earning a high income, above what the lower income earners receive??
I also earn an above average wage and work hard, but it seems you are completely missing the point..
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Of course, people who get paid a high income don’t get “anything” do they?!! They’re forced into subsidising those dirty poor people! And dirty poor people don’t work hard, not like us high-paid people! (btw, I’m on $150K/year and don’t begrudge a single cent of tax I pay). I am completely perplexed by the notion that us high-paid people “don’t get any benefit or reward for their contribution to society over and above what lower income earners receive”. For starters, do we deserve additional benefits or rewards from “society” (ie, the government) for getting paid more money than the average? Charlotte seems to think us wealthy people do deserve something extra. I wonder what “additional benefits” she might like to see us getting? If you “work damn hard for [your] own money”, Charlotte, and it seems to upset you that you’re not getting any additional benefit from it, may I suggest that you work less “damn hard”? Then you might feel less resentful….
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I was absolutely stoked to find out that Implanon – the contraceptive implant – only cost me about $20 and lasts for 3 years. Certainly an extremely affordable option for Aussie women.
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Did it hurt to have the implant?
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I had it done 2 days ago and it didn’t hurt to put in. They use anaesthesia (that needle stings for 30 seconds) so you don’t feel it going in at all. I had to wear a compression bandage yesterday which made it ache but it’s only a little sore today. Can I suggest that you don’t get it done when you don’t want people to ask you what the bandage/bruise/tape is all about or when it is cold enough to wear longer sleeves? That conversation with my employer yesterday was a little awkward!
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I got mine about 18 months ago. While everyone’s different, I had no pain from the insertion (I had a very experienced doctor do it, she was wonderful).
The site of the implanon was a little swollen and very bruised (though I’m told that amount of bruising wasn’t standard) for about a week. It was sore to touch firmly (no pain for a brush past or anything) for the first two days, but after that, nothing at all.
Before the implanon, I had never been on hormonal birth control before (I have factor v leiden, which makes me prone to clots and makes the pill a no-no for me). It affected my moods fairly severely for the first month or two, but then it settled down. I bled on and off for the first three months, which was a bit irritating, but it wasn’t that big a deal to me. A lot of people on implanon tend to never get any bleeding after the first six months, but I still bleed every now and then (maybe once a month?) but that’s no different to having a period, so I’m not too bothered by it. The only thing that can be frustrating is the lack of regularity. But I always make sure I have tampons/pads on me and it’s not really a problem.
My younger sister on the other hand, ended up getting hers taken out because the hormones were making her moods uncontrollable and she bled practically non-stop for 10 weeks. She has an IUD now, and it works a lot better for her.
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I had one put in about 4 months ago and i cannot recommend it highly enough. I went through a lot of different pills types as I kept spotting or very long and irregular periods even when I skipped the sugar pills.It’ like anything if it works for your body go for it. On implanon I have no bleeding and no hormonal side effects, so pretty lucky. The other reason I did it is that when you would like to get pregnant and have the implant removed your fertility is back up pretty much straight away. On the pill it can take 6 to 9 months after you stop taking it. Just make sure you get it done by someone who is properly trained. My doctor was but she was the only doctor in the practice who was so ask for the doctor who specializes in women’s health
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Just thought I’d let you know that Mindanao is actually one of the islands in the Philippines, not a city, so might want to change that in the post.
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I think it is a good idea…within reason.
It needs to be means tested, or perhaps ‘risk’ tested. Those who can afford to or perhaps do not fall into an ‘at risk’ category should still pay. But I do think it is grossly unfair that certain pills are so much more expensive than others, when some women can’t tolerate the cheaper ones.
So…I would support free means-tested contraception, and a blanket cost for everyone else.
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I think this is a brilliant idea and applaud President Aquino for it.
It makes me so sad, and so very angry that in a part of the world where compassion and succour of the church is most needed, the Catholic Church once again has only punative, prescriptive dogma to offer.
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I totally agree piquant, the issue of the catholic church’s take on contraception makes my blood boil! It is the number one reason why i no longer identify as a catholic, having been raised in that faith. Their dogma has no hold over me but it doesn’t blind me to that fact that, for so many millions, the consequences of the church’s continued stance on this issue are death, ill-health and grinding poverty. Shame, shame i say!
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I do agree that if you can afford to pay for something you should. I am only a middle income earner (not overly cashed up but can pay the bills) and i got the shock of my life when I had to hand over nearly $70 for my pill the other day. Now I know a box of condoms and other bits and pieces would be just as useful and costly but at the end of the day if the pill was cheaper and more accessible to young women it may be helpful. You can get the morning after pill over the counter – perhaps it would be beneficial to have the pill available that way too. Would help alot of teenage girls.
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I would love it if the pill was available over the counter. I can’t for the life of me find a doctor who actually listens to me and doesn’t treat me like an idiot. Every time I try to get the pill I leave in tears with a prescription for a pill that isn’t suitable, or a bunch of pamphlets for alternative birth control methods (not what I want, for a variety of reasons). I know what I need, I just want a bloody doctor to give it to me.
Seriously, the last time I saw a doctor she berated me for 20 mins about the dangers of using Google to diagnose (which I wasn’t even doing, I’d asked about a new drug a pharmacist had suggested might be good for me). Five minutes later I ask if the medication she’s prescribing is ok to take with the rest of my drugs, and she googles it right in front of me, quickly scans a random website and says “Yeah, it’ll be cool”. I get home, do my own googling and discover it would absolutely not be “cool”, in fact it could have been lethal. After having experiences like that I’m loathe to go to a doctor, and know a lot of people who feel the same. Free or not, so long as you have to visit a doctor for a prescription a lot of women aren’t going to use the pill.
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You need a new doctor!!!
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I’d love to be berated for using “Dr Google” – I’d probably laugh far too loudly. I’ve had some very senior doctors google my syndrome (or look it up on wikipedia) in front of me. They’re using it too!
Disclaimer – what I have is extraordinarily rare so I actually don’t blame them and I generally get excellent care in both the public and private health systems. I even know someone who discovered they likely had a rare syndrome by using Google and typing in a few symptoms. Genetic confirmation came through and now the doctors are taking it all very seriously.
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I can understand free contraceptives for people who qualify for a low income earner concession but the idea of free contraceptive pill for everyone is wasteful.
I can afford mine without too much difficulty, I would rather the government spend that money on something more important.
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Having lived in the UK for 4 years I really miss the benefits of health care there. The pill was completely free!!!
Also, when I had my baby daughter there I received free home visits for weeks from my midwife and also I had a lactation consultant come to my house twice (more if I had needed it) for FREE!!
The Australian health care system needs to improved!!!
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I had weeks of home visits from a midwife in the public system in Brissie – just went through the midwifery group practice at one of the major public hospitals. Was awesome.
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That’s good to hear.
My sister just had a baby. She lives in Surry Hills. No midwife will visit her at home for even ONE visit because it is “TOO DANGEROUS” to send a midwife to Surry Hills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The health system is a joke.
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That is very strange, because I have had three children living in Surry Hills for the last 5 years and I have never heard such a response from any health professional. I also have had plenty of (free) follow up consultations from lactation specialists, midwives and local children’s centre professionals. Charlotte, perhaps you’re living in a municipality that does not offer such services? Being an ex-Pom myself, I certainly don’t think the NHS is better than the health services I’ve experienced in Australia…
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Unfortunately there is only one midwife practice I know of in Sydney and you are only eligible to birth there if you’re within the zone.
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Which one? I work child health in the same district as one of those hospitals. The MGP as we call it, is very, very busy and there is now a wait list.
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I am in South Australia, when I had my baby I had two visits from the maternal health nurse in my home and also had a free visit with the lactaction consultant when I had problems breastfeeding. I went through the private system to have him. Wen my best friend had her baby via the public system, she received even more visits from the nurse, Weekly from memory, until the bubs was a couple of months old. That’s not too bad!!
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Maternal and child health nurses all over the country visit mums and bubs to varying degrees. For example, it’s standard in Victoria and we contact every public patient and offer them home visits/clinic appts in Brisbane. Not sure about the other states, but as far as I’m aware our counterparts offer free services to mums and bubs.
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Last year while travelling with a girl from the UK, we were discussing the pill and she was shocked to find out how much it cost me, saying that in the UK it is 100% covered by their version of Medicare. Obviously their public health system is different to here, but how come Aus can’t do this?
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It IS a different system in the UK. The pill is free. In fact, virtually all prescriptions are free for anyone under 18, over 60, on benefits, just had a baby, pregnant etc. So’s dental care. And medical care. All of it. No charge to see a doctor. Or a specialist. Or have a baby. But it also means the NHS is phenomenally overworked. At breaking point in many parts of the country. It also means you get tipped out of hospital 12-24 hrs after giving birth, 48 hours if you have c-sections like me. And if you want to see a specialist on the NHS – be prepared to wait. To see a heart specialist for my then 3 year old was a five month wait – and paed specialists are generally faster….universal free healthcare is an admiral desire, and really, one of the fundamentals of British society. But with it comes huge issues, especially in the light of the opening of the EU which has brought a whole raft of new issues with ‘health tourists’. I actually think the system we have in Australia where the user is expected to pay, and those lucky people subsidise the less fortunate in society is a wonderful system. Despite all the media hype, by any measure (recovery rates, morbidity rates, doctors qualifying etc), the Australian health system is successful – we’re very lucky to have what we have.
But for those living in poverty – bring ON the free contraceptives.
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Thanks for the info. I knew it was different but wasn’t sure exactly how. While I do wish some things in Aus were cheaper (i.e. dental!) I do realise we have a pretty good thing going here in Australia in terms of a public health system. Great to know how other countries are doing it though.
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Because it’s a poor economic policy for this country.
For every 100 people who pay for the pill there might be 10 who find the cost prohibitive. So the government paying for 90 pills that individuals would have bought anyway is wasteful.
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Might make sense for the pill to be included on the PBS though? Then peeps with low income health care cards could get it for $4.60 (is it still $4.60? I haven’t had a LIHC since I was on youth allowance at 17…), and the rest of us would have to pay full price.
Incidentally, I can’t take the pill. i reacted very badly to Implanon. I was contraindicated for IUDs. I tried the injections for a little while, but I had some bad reactions to that as well. So hormonal contraception is out for me.
BUT, I’ve managed to not have a baby for the last 6.5 years of marriage, thanks to condoms. Use them properly, they work really well.
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I think only the more expensive pills are not on the PBS. I am on Yasmin and it now costs me $70 for three months worth. And I think women on health care cards already get pretty substantial discounts on the pill as it is. But if it stops people from having unplanned pregnancies that they cannot afford, I am all for it being free.
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