On World Contraception Day, Organon, a pharmaceutical company focused on women’s health, ignited discussions on women’s reproductive health and their right to choose at the recently held event titled “I’m Taking Control of My Moves.”
In partnership with various organizations with the shared goal of empowering women, Organon invited women from across the metro to celebrate World Contraception Day and raise awareness on the importance of contraceptives—and its many different forms—so they can make informed decisions and take better control of their health, future, and family.
Organon, with its strong commitment to women’s health and rights, amplifies the importance of access to contraception and how it can transform the lives of women. “Family planning is not only about avoiding pregnancy. It’s about planning for the future of our family and ourselves. It empowers us to make informed choices and it is important in ensuring that we can provide our families a brighter future. Today we are celebrating ‘I’m taking control of my moves,’ a theme that reminds us that we have control over our lives. We have the right to choose what’s best for us and our family,” said Carole Lopez, Organon’s External Affairs and Communications Lead for Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Almost half of all pregnancies across the world, or 121 million each year, are unintended, according to 2022 data from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA).
Among this number, over 60% end in abortion and 45% of these abortions are considered unsafe, leading to around 5 to 13% of all maternal deaths. On a global scale, women and girls do not always have the capacity to exercise their right to reproductive choice. The UNFPA referred to this as a “human rights crisis,” which may lead to significant consequences for women, societies, and global health.
In the Philippines, more than half (51%) of all pregnancies are unintended, almost mirroring the global average. The country ranked 56th among 150 countries for the number of unintended pregnancies at 71 per 1,000 women annually, as reported by the UNFPA. In 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a 5.4% teenage pregnancy rate among Filipino women aged 15 to 19 years.
Obstetrician-Gynecologist Dr. Cristina Crisologo graced the Organon event for a lecture on modern family planning methods, including how they work, effectiveness rate, effectiveness duration, and where they are available. Dr. Crisologo emphasized that consultation with a healthcare professional is critical before choosing a contraceptive method. She also noted that family planning is a responsibility of both women and men, advising men to look into contraceptive methods that work for them as well.
“Both women and men should be responsible for family planning, so we hope we can spread the word and educate everyone on this because everyone should have the choice when they are ready and when they want to start a family. Consulting a healthcare professional before choosing a family planning method should be a priority because some may have some misconceptions that need to be clarified with them,” said Dr. Crisologo.
Partner organizations set up booths offering information in support of women’s health. Organon also invited TV show host and dancer Regine Tolentino to lead a Zumba session to energize the attendees and held a create awareness Zumba competition where groups of women used dance as a venue to raise awareness on family planning. The attendees had a commitment exercise for them to reflect on their health journey and promise to break the stigma and exercise their right to choose what’s best for them, their body, and their future.
At the culmination of the event, Organon launched Her Health Finder, a tool that enables women to look for nearby doctors and clinics that are labeled as women’s health experts by relevant local associations. Organon understands that knowledge of where to access medical help and solutions is a barrier for women, especially when it comes to their reproductive health.
Her Health Finder bridges this gap, thereby encouraging women to be more proactive in managing their health in a few simple steps. All they need to do is to enter their location and the health finder tool will provide a list of health centers so they can be closer to taking control of their moves.
Her Health Finder is done in partnership with the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP).
