Appraising Issues on Reproductive Health in ASEAN; Focusing Efforts Towards Indexing JAFES

Abstract

The Asian perspective on fertility, reproduction and pregnancy is broad, owing to the varied cultural and social nuances on this phase of a woman’s life and her family.

This issue of JAFES tackles exactly these sensitive topics. The lead article on the Philippine reproductive health law, as discussed by a health advocate, former Department of Health Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral, conveys the challenges over years of discussions and arguments in a predominantly Catholic population. Trends on teenage pregnancy are reviewed by Dr. Josefina Natividad, Director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute.