What is Family Planning?

The term family planning is sometimes used interchangeably with the term birth control, although there are some differences between the two terms. Birth control is something that anybody can use to prevent pregnancy Family planning is seen as the responsible choice for couples who are not ready to have children in the present but may want to in the future. Family planning is also the term preferred by religious couples who do not approved of using artificial birth control methods to prevent pregnancy. In this case, family planning, sometimes called natural family planning.

Common types of contraceptives:

Oral Contraceptives ("The Pill")
Birth control pills, are pills that a woman takes daily to prevent pregnancy. The Pill works mainly by preventing the ovary from releasing an egg.

Condoms
are thin barriers made of latex, plastic, or natural membranes. They look like long, thin, deflated balloons.

Tubal ligation
A tubal ligation is a minor operation that blocks a woman's fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry the egg to the uterus). Female sterilization works by blocking the egg from reaching sperm

Vasectomy
A vasectomy is a simple operation that blocks the tubes that carry sperm from a man's testes to his penis. Male sterilization works by blocking the sperm from leaving the man's body.

What is Artificial Contraceptives?

Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization. Contraception can occur both naturally and via artificial means in humans and in animals

What Are the Benefits of Family Planning in the Philippines?

Reducing Maternal Deaths According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, as many as 2,100 maternal deaths in the Philippines each year could be prevented with family planning. It could also prevent deaths related to illhealth resulting from unintended pregnancies. About 4,000 women die in the Philippines each year because of pregnancyrelated causes. Work Benefits According to Family Health International, family planning users are more likely to work than non-users because it gives women the time to seek work opportunities outside the home. Women in the Philippines have said that larger family size increase their household responsibilities and make them unable to seek paid work.

What is Natural family planning(NFP)?

(NFP) is a term referring to the family planning methods approved by the Roman Catholic Church refers exclusively to techniques such as temporary abstinence, the withdrawal method, or the rhythm method, in which no outside interference is used. (NPF)is completely natural and does not use drugs, devices or surgery. It is simply a method of recognizing and charting the easily observable signs of fertility exhibited by a woman's body.

Humanae Vitae, an encyclical issued by Pope Paul VI in 1968, teaches two ways of living responsible parenthood: to raise a large family or, for just and grave reasons, to have recourse to temporal or periodic continence in order to delay possible frequent births. In both cases, the intention ought to be the samenot to oppose, but rather to fulfill the design of God regarding ones family.

The Advantages of NFP vs. Artificial Methods

NFP is unique among the methods of family planning because its users work with the body instead of against it. Fertility is view as a blessing, not a curse, a reality of life that is accepted, not a problem to be solved. The advantages of NFP: 1) Because it works with the natural physiology of the body, NFP has no harmful side-effects (that may lead to cancer, pelvic infection, weight gain, depression, headaches, hypertension, risk of strokes and blood clots, etc.) that are often the result of prolonged use of artificial contraceptives.
2) Restores dignity to women since both spouses accept he fertility cycle and therefore the woman will not be reduced to a mere sterile object which may be used at will; 3) Builds strong marriages because it calls for shared husband and wife responsibility; and 4) Most of all, it is moral acceptable.

Why is Artificial Contraception Morally Wrong?

Artificial means of contraception such as the use of chemicals or substances (contraceptive pills, injections, spermicides , etc.), barrier methods (condoms, IUDs, diaphragms, vaginal rings, etc.) and sterilization (tubal ligation, vasectomy) are morally wrong and sinful because they go against the natural law of which God is the Author and against the divine law which embraces Gods teachings and commandments.

RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD
1. Responsible Parenthood is the spirituality of the family. 2.Responsible parenthood is guided by conscience 3.Responsible Parenthood is the mission of the family. 4.Responsible Parenthood is the vocation of marriage

5.Responsible Parenthood is a service of love.

(Reproductive Health Bill) R.H BILL

House Bill No. 4244 or An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes introduced by Albay 1st district Representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or An Act Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Responsible Parenthood
Responsible parenthood, as we use the term here, has one further essential aspect of paramount importance. It concerns the objective moral order which was established by God, and of which a right conscience is the true interpreter. In a word, the exercise of responsible parenthood requires that husband and wife, keeping a right order of priorities, recognize their own duties toward God, themselves, their families and human society. (HV, #10)