Argumentative Essay

Artificial Contraception from a Positive Point-of-View

            What is artificial contraception? This is commonly asked by many men and women around the world who are sexually active but do not want to bear a child. Artificial contraception basically means different unnatural methods used for birth control to ensure that a woman does not become pregnant unless it is planned by her and her partner. There are different methods available today and the most common one is the use of condoms. A condom is a device made of rubber (latex) and is used by a man to cover his genitals during sexual intercourse in order to stop the sperm from entering a woman’s vagina. According to Dr. Khazaei (2012), a condom is the most effective and has a high success rate because it is the most reliable and cost-effective method of preventing unwanted pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Another common method available in the market that is also cost-effective and can be used on a regular basis is contraceptive pills. It also has a high success rate because it is affordable and at the same time available for everyone. The Philippine government promotes the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (Republic Act no. 10354) which is a law that makes sure that different contraception methods, sexual education and maternal care for women are accessible. The bill ensures to “promote, without bias, all effective natural and modern methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal.”

Many claim that the legalization of artificial contraception promotes sexual intercourse and pre-marital sex because it is said to encourage the youth to be sexually active since methods such as condoms and birth control pills are available for them to use. My stand on this is that sex is a choice for each and every one of us and this choice is made with or without the availability of artificial contraception. Human beings are made to have sexual desires and it is human of us to feel lust towards another man or woman, therefore, even without artificial contraception it is normal for us to have the drive to have sex. What artificial contraception does in this case is making the act of intercourse safer for everyone. It prevents STD’s when in contact with someone who has the disease. This alone shows that contraception should be thought of as a positive thing.

Going against church beliefs and teachings is another reason why artificial contraception is not widely promoted, most especially by the church itself. It is said to contradict what God has planned for humanity and is somehow “inhumane” because it prevents the idea of a baby coming to life. Contraception is needed for proper family planning which is promoted by the church so why will they not promote artificial contraception which is the easiest method for proper family planning? Artificial contraception is the most accessible way to be successful in proper family planning and is available for everyone, both rich and less fortunate and according to the World Health Organization, unwanted pregnancies (most especially teen pregnancies) have decreased almost 67% since the legalization of contraception in more countries.

In addition to the given statements, the use of artificial contraception should not be closely related to the idea of abortion because they are two very different things. Preventing the formation of an unborn is not, in any way, the same as taking a life of an unborn. This is the common misconception on the idea of artificial contraception but the argument itself should be disregarded because it is invalid. It is also said to promote abortion because these artificial methods do not work one hundred percent of the time and will eventually lead to the choice of abortion. My take on this is that abortion is a choice of a woman whether or not contraception was used or not. Contraception prevents these women from having to make a decision whether or not to keep the baby or to abort it because it prevents the formation of a child from the time of sexual intercourse. Hence, abortion should not be compared to the usage of contraception because each has a different meaning from the other.

As these issues against artificial contraception arise, many continue to question if its usage really gives positive outcomes. A decrease in the abortion rate has been proven and shown and this alone proves that the use of artificial contraception gives long-term positive effects. Therefore, the legalization of contraception and the passing of the bill is the better option as compared to keeping it not legalized. Also, promoting the use of contraception clearly does not mean promoting the act of abortion; hence, people should not mistake the two from being the same thing. I strongly believe that the method of artificial contraception will eventually give long-term benefits both to the government and the civilians and is the safest and most effective way of successful family planning.

References:

Khazaei.Which birth control method is effective for proper family planning?.2012.Retrived from http://www.articlesbase.com/womens-health-articles/which-birth-control-method-is-effective-for-proper-family-planning-5938679.html

Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012.(nd). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsible_Parenthood_and_Reproductive_Health_Act_of_2012

8 Reasons We Should Not Pass the RH Bill.(nd).http://cbcpforlife.com/?p=202