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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
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