Pia Cayetano: No proven link between contraceptives, illnesses of babies


Although she claims to sympathize with Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III, Senator Pia Cayetano said there is no proven link between the use of contraceptives and the condition of babies born with illnesses or disabilities.


Cayetano issued the statement a day after Sotto, in a speech, blamed contraceptives for the illness and eventual death of his son.

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, Cayetano said, "I have never come across any well-founded [research]. There is no well-founded belief, there is no grounded research that shows that children with disabilities [was caused by contraceptives] there is no evidence that shows that link." 
 
Sotto on Monday delivered the first part of his Turno En Contra against the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill, which seeks to provide free contraceptives and maternal healthcare to the public.

'Side effects' of contraceptives
 
In his speech, Sotto enumerated the possible side effects of contraceptives on women.  

Sotto recalled that in 1974 his wife became pregnant even though she was taking contraceptives.
"She gave birth to my real first son whom we named Vincent Paul in March 13, 1975 at the Makati Medical Center," he said.
 
However, the senator said his first-born son was born with a weak heart.  The baby also supposedly needed occasional blood transfusions.
 
Sotto added that Monday was also his son’s death anniversary as he died August 13, 1975.

Must be taken with doctor's advice
 
Cayetano said contraceptives are just like any other medication, which must be taken with the advice of a doctor.
 
"There may be side effects and these are clearly seen in the literature that comes with any kind of medication. Ultimo po paracetamol may indications naman po yan, and same with any other kind of medical device or medication to that matter, so you take that under the guidance of your physician," she said. 
 
"The conditions are all different. And the research po, the ill effects of pills, are old research because over the years…the formulations have changed to make it safer and safer," she added.
 
Cayetano also said that all the arguments mentioned by Sotto in his speech have been settled during the period of interpellation.
 
"Wala ho siyang binanggit na hindi pa ho namin na-resolve or nasagot in session, including po yung sinasabing ’11 mothers die per day’ [maternal mortality rate]," she said.
 
"We have the statistics and in fact, we have submitted it. So it’s there po and if some people choose not to believe it, well you can go out for yourselves and do the counting, but the statistics are there to show us that these are realities," she added.
 
Cayetano also said she will issue a written response to Sotto's assertions. - VVP, GMA News

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