How to Start The Reproductive Health Talk With Your Kids

The Philippines has seen a 35% jump in pregnancies among girls aged 15 years old and under between the years 2021 and 2022, according to Save the Children.??

The country has one of the highest adolescent birth rates in Asia. The factors driving the high teenage birth rates include social and cultural pressures, poverty, limited sex education, and restricted access to contraceptives.??

With the adolescent pregnancy hike, the discussion of opening sex education in the Philippines has been raised.??

In Classrooms: The Reproductive Health Talk??

Non-government organization Plan International Philippines called for the proper implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).?

A 2023 study on the implementation of reproductive health education found that teachers lack resources when educating on the matter, with the Department of Education rarely providing training. In addition, funding for training was relied on non-government organizations.??

The interviewed teachers in the study also fear teaching reproductive health, worrying that it might stir the student’s curiosity about sex.??

The study also noted that Filipino teachers think that the discussion of reproductive health is a responsibility of the family, instead of the school.??

Reproductive Health Talk???

As parents, there is a responsibility to prepare your children for whatever it is they need to learn in life, including reproductive health among other things.??

To discuss the matter with???

Here’s how you can start your reproductive health discussion in your homes to better prepare your children for the changes they will be experiencing, especially if they are in the puberty stage:??

• Start the talk with an open mind: there is no “appropriate” age for reproductive health talk. You must be open to questions that they might have about sexual intercourse, body changes during puberty, and even pregnancy.??

• Look for credible sources: having credible sources can help your children understand it better. Sometimes parents can be lost in how to explain the matter from a more scientific perspective.??

• Let them learn about their body: teach them boundaries on physical touch while also explaining to them why it is important. Let them know that they are safe, and they can confide in you.??

If you are uncomfortable with dealing with the matter alone, there are health care professionals who can help parents open the talk to their children.??

Schedule your children with a doctor’s consultation so they can talk to a professional about the changes they are experiencing and the responsibilities involved.??

Find your doctor here https://www.insularhealthcare.com.ph/our-partners/?

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SOURCE:?

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059323000548?via%3Dihub?

https://www.onenews.ph/articles/sex-education-not-enough-better-collaborative-efforts-to-combat-teen-pregnancy-pushed#google_vignette?

https://www.universityhealth.com/blog/how-to-start-the-sex-talk-with-your-kids?

https://www.savethechildren.net/news/jump-35-teen-pregnancies-philippines-prompts-calls-increase-sex-education-and-health-services?

https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/parenting/when-to-start-talking-about-sexual-health-with-your-child-earlier-than-you-think/?