A woman display contraceptive pills
An Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproductive Health Desk Officer at Osun Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs. Roseline Akinlabi, has clarified that contraceptive pills do not cause cervical cancer in women.
She Stated this during a virtual engagement programme organised by the State Public Health media team in collaboration with a non governmental organization, The Challenge Initiative (TCI).
Mrs. Akinlabi spoke on the theme: “The impacts of Family Planning Myths and Misconception on Spacing, Unplanned and. Unsafe Abortion”
As a certified family planning trainer and registered public health nurse, Akinlabi emphasized the importance of dispelling myths surrounding family planning methods.
“Myths and misconceptions are the major challenge to uptake of family planning in the state and the country at large,” she said.
According to Akinlabi, various myths and misconceptions about family planning methods have led to high prevalence of teenage pregnancy, high maternal mortality and morbidity rate, and other related issues.
She noted that these false beliefs create barriers to access and utilization of family planning methods, increasing the risks of unwanted pregnancies and risky sexual behavior.
Akinlabi called for collective responsibility to dispel rumors about contraceptives, raise awareness about the benefits of family planning, and create safer spaces for girls and women in society.
Family planning empowers individuals to choose the number, spacing, and timing of their children, leading to improved health outcomes for the mother and the child.
Akinlabi stressed that there is an urgent need to equip individuals with accurate facts to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
She stated that contraceptive pills cannot cause cancer of the ovary and the lining of the uterus in women, contrary to popular speculation, and also do not encourage infidelity or cause permanent infertility in women.
