SINGAPORE: About 12,000 foetuses are aborted in Singapore
every year and doctors say not enough people are using
contraception, or are not using them correctly.
Said Dr Beh Suan Tiong, president of the Obstetrical &
Gynaecological Society of Singapore: "Some of them may be using
condom incorrectly (and) not infrequently.
"Many husbands do not use condom right from the start of the sexual
activity, (they) wait till they are near ejaculation before they
put it on, and that defeats the purpose."
Of the 12,000 births terminated every year, about half are done by
married women.
While some doctors suggest couples use contraception if they do not
want to have babies, many women say they fear the side
effects.
For example, some inaccurately think that birth control pills may
be linked to cancer or weight gain, and others have the
misconception that the intrauterine system makes sexual intercourse
uncomfortable and carries an infection risk.
While this may have had some truth to it with the older copper
intrauterine device, the newer hormone-releasing intrauterine
system carries less risk.
Said Dr Beh: "Every contraception method do carry some potential
side effects but they actually rank much less compared to the risk
of abortion."
Every one in 300 abortions is likely to develop complications such
as an injury to the womb or an infection, which can lead to
infertility. The negative psychological effects of an abortion are
also well documented.
Some pro-life groups advocate the use of natural family planning
which tracks a woman's ovulation by measuring body temperature and
cervical secretions.
Experts point out that this method can be effective if it is taught
well and carried out correctly.
- CNA/yb