In the discourse on family planning, men remain noticeably absent—not from the statistics on fatherhood, but from the responsibility of preventing unplanned pregnancies.
While contraceptive use is a common topic, the conversation overwhelmingly focuses on women. Pills, IUDs, implants, and injections dominate public health programs, while male-centered methods—particularly vasectomy—remain in the shadows.
The numbers speak volumes. Vasectomy rates in many countries, including the Philippines, remain strikingly low compared to female sterilization.
Social norms and cultural beliefs play a significant role: masculinity is often tied to fertility, and the idea of “cutting” one’s reproductive capacity is seen by some as an attack on manhood.
Misinformation—fears of impotence, loss of virility, or reduced masculinity—further discourages men from considering the procedure.
Moreover, family planning programs historically evolved within maternal and child health services, naturally centering women.
Clinics are geared toward women’s reproductive care, and outreach often targets mothers rather than couples.
This female-centered approach has, unintentionally, reinforced the idea that contraception is “a woman’s job.” Men are left as decision-makers, not participants—a subtle but critical gap.
The imbalance is not just unfair but rather inefficient.
Shared responsibility in contraception would ease the physical, financial, and emotional burden carried by women, while giving couples more balanced choices.
Vasectomy, a simple, safe, and permanent method, is underused not because it fails medically, but because it fails socially—buried under stigma and neglect.
Public health must shift toward inclusive strategies.
Education campaigns that address myths, male-focused clinics, and policy incentives can encourage men to take an active role.
Until men see family planning as their responsibility too, we will continue to frame reproduction as a women’s burden—and miss the opportunity for true equality in choice.
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