A Woman's Prerogative

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Philippines' controversial RH(Reproductive Health) Bill has been nothing less but controversial. Politics vs Religion. Cultural Preservation vs  Population Control. Pro vs Anti. Yellow vs No Yellow.

My take on the issue is, Reproductive Health is and will always be a woman's prerogative.

By law, or sans law, this is all about being a woman. How you end up with a final decision will affect the woman who is reproducing, no one else.

I firmly believe that when it comes to woman's health, especially when it comes to pregnancy, to be pregnant or not to be pregnant could be decided between the couple, but above all, the woman should have the last word.

What if we have a medical practice in the Philippines of taking out the baby at 8 weeks because there's is no heartbeat that can be found? I wonder how the conservative Filipino will react. Would they ask themselves why they let the RH Bill be passed? Would the mother have enough tears to shed and ask herself where did she go wrong? Why there's no heartbeat? Why can't she keep the baby and wait for the baby's heart to start beating? Would this scenario actually happen?

Because yes... maybe not in Philippines (right now), this scenario does happens. I, personally, had to take days of bed rest because at 8 weeks, the little life in my tummy has no heart beat. I was too scared to stress myself out that I can not let myself cry. Because after 5 days and there's still no heart beat, my baby will be taken out. So I rest and did not stress. After 5 days.... we found a heart beat.

It was torture. It was a very taxing moment for a pregnant woman.

Is this going to happen if RH Bill will be passed?

I have no idea.

One thing I agree after watching all the discussions around RH Bill -- information dissemination, access to information, access to funds, and universal health care especially to pregnant woman all over Philippines is a MUST -- should have been before, a must now, and perfected for the future.

As a woman, I would like to know my choices. My option. And what can I do as a pregnant reproducing woman. Or as a Mother or Mother-to-Be. Support and Information is very important.

I had a roller-coaster pregnancy trimester test results, even if I had such a remarkable OB GYN and medical group in the US. Without the support of my OB GYN and the counselor and information that was shared with us, I would not have known what to do. I would not have known my options.

Hence, I believe in a must for INFORMATION. Maybe it's where we should invest first as a country. With 7100 islands, NOT all the woman has access to information beneficial to their health. Especially when it is about REPRODUCING.