The Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproductive Health Desk Officer at the Osun State Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs. Roseline Akinlabi has debunked claims that contraceptive pills cause cervical cancer in women.
Akinlabi, a certified family planning trainer and registered public health nurse, made this clarification during a virtual engagement session held on Monday in Osogbo.
The event was organized by the State Public Health Media Team in collaboration with The Challenge Initiative (TCI), a non-governmental organization.
Speaking on the topic, “The Impacts of Family Planning Myths and Misconceptions on Spacing, Unplanned Pregnancy, and Unsafe Abortion,” Akinlabi emphasized that commonly held beliefs about contraceptives leading to cancer, infertility, or infidelity are untrue and harmful.
“Contraceptive pills do not cause cancer of the cervix, ovaries, or the uterine lining,” she asserted.
Akinlabi stressed that misinformation is one of the major challenges hindering the uptake of family planning methods across the state and the country.
“Various myths and misconceptions about family planning have contributed to high rates of teenage pregnancy, maternal mortality, and morbidity,” she noted.
“These false beliefs generate confusion, prevent access to essential care, and negatively affect decisions about child spacing, resulting in unwanted pregnancies and, in many cases, unsafe abortions.”
She added that the spread of such misinformation creates barriers to the proper use of contraceptives and can lead to risky sexual behavior and poor reproductive health outcomes.
Calling for a collective response, Akinlabi urged stakeholders, communities, and the media to help dispel harmful myths and increase public awareness of the benefits of family planning.
“There is an urgent need to equip individuals with accurate information so they can make informed choices about their reproductive health,” she said.
According to her, family planning empowers individuals to decide the number, spacing, and timing of their children, ultimately improving the health and well-being of both mothers and children.
