Contraception awareness among teenagers severely
lacking
SINGAPORE : September 27 is World Contraception Day and
some health groups in Singapore are taking the opportunity to call
for improved education on the choices and usage of contraception,
in light of increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections
among teenagers.
It has been eight years since schools started teaching about sex
and contraception but it seems students are still woefully
ignorant.
In a survey of 240 youths aged 15 to 20, it was found that 30 per
cent thought washing the genitals after sex could prevent pregnancy
while 15 per cent believed urinating will do the same.
16 percent believed that exercising vigorously after sex will help
shed off sperm, thus preventing pregnancy.
The survey, conducted by pharmaceutical company Bayer Schering
Pharma and with doctors advising on the study, found that about 1
in 4 youths engage in sexual activity and about half of them are
not using contraceptives.
Said Dr Janet Lee, a general practitioner at Temasek Medical
Centre: "I do see teenagers with unwanted pregnancies, and a lot of
times, they do not even realise that they are pregnant because it
never occurred to them they can be pregnant through unprotected
sex.
"Their mindset is that it will not happen to me... I think we need
to educate youths about the importance of abstinence, and also
educating them about condom use and contraceptive pills so as to
prevent unwanted pregnancies."
Teenagers account for about 12 percent of abortion numbers every
year, and the number of teenagers with sexually transmitted
infections has also doubled in the last decade.
The Ministry of Education has made it compulsory for all schools to
have a sexuality education programme, but it seems the message is
still not getting through to all teenagers.
Some said it's because teachers gloss over sexuality education.
Others feel teenagers may be too embarrassed to ask questions about
sex in class.
"It is not just enough for the schools to be teaching, or for the
VWOs to come in. They (teenagers) need to be guided to the right
sources of information, and parents can also play a part to be more
open, to encourage their teenagers to approach them if they have
questions about sex. But I think this will take time, as we are
still a pretty conservative society," said Joanne Tan, spokesperson
for the Singapore Planned Parenthood Association. - CNA
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