PH reproductive health law needs to better address contraceptive access for lower-income women

The implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law represents a major policy shift aimed at increasing access to modern contraception. The law was enacted in 2012 but not fully implemented until 2017.

By analyzing data from the Philippine Demographic and Health Surveys, this study provides insights into the impact of this policy on women’s access to contraception across different socioeconomic groups. The study analyzed data from the Philippine Demographic and Health Surveys from 2013, 2017 and 2022, years which mark critical points in the law’s implementation.

The study found a persistent gap in unmet needs for contraception between women in the lowest and highest wealth quintiles in all years. However, the weighted proportion of women with unmet needs declined between 2013 and 2022, with the largest decline observed in the lowest wealth quintile. This suggests that the law has not yet fully addressed barriers to contraceptive use for women from lower-income backgrounds.

Authors: Miguel Antonio Garcia Estrada (Department of Public Administration and Policy, University of Georgia) | Kent Jason Go Cheng (Center for Healthy Aging, Pennsylvania State University) | Rutcher Madera Lacaza (School of Statistics, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39464843/