CSSC’s EmpowHER champions women’s reproductive well-being

Written By: Mary Dawn Santos and Marion Lapuz

To empower every “her” and dismantle reproductive health stigmas, the UST College of Science Student Council (CSSC) — Office of the Secretary launched EmpowHER, a seminar on women’s reproductive healthcare, last November 15, held at the Engineering Conference Hall.

Invited experts and healthcare professionals addressed topics ranging from family planning, reproductive ailments, and the overall well-being of a woman.

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN’S WELLNESS

Equipped with flowers as swords, Dr. Jocelyn Zamora-Mariano, a gynecologic oncologist at University of Santo Tomas Hospital and Dr. Ricamae Kessiah Manalo-Everdone, a primary care physician of Nazarene Medical Clinic, sought to fight the stigma on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and raise awareness on cervical cancer and pelvic health.

Zamora-Mariano, with her advocacy for women’s health, addressed the realities of living with PCOS, a condition often misunderstood because of its visible symptoms, such as weight gain and acne.

She also debunked myths about cervical cancer and emphasized the importance of early screening for the illness being the second most common cancer among women.

“Cervical cancer is through sex. If not, it is related to genetic mutation. Everyone can have the [human papillomavirus], it’s how your body [recognizes] it — to suppress or allow it to happen,” she stated during the open forum.

To shed light on women’s pelvic health, Manalo-Everdone tackled the causes of dysmenorrhea, which includes the cycle of increased prostaglandin production leading to uterine contraction, blood clotting in the cervix, and lifestyle. She also explained the urinary tract infections’ (UTI) tendency to be more common in women due to their reproductive anatomy, reduced immunity during pregnancy, sex, and birth control.

Moreover, Dr. Zamora-Manalo discussed a number of female reproductive pathologies such as endometriosis, leiomyoma, general herpes, gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and candida vaginitis, discussing their symptoms, causes, and possible treatments.

THE GREEN LIGHT

With the goal of educating students on menstrual health, Executive Director of the World Organization of the Ovulation Method Billings (WOOMB) Philippines Inc., Mr. Raymond Ganar, and Manalo-Evardone delivered talks on menstruation and family planning.

Ganar expounded on the four phases of the menstrual cycle using a visual aid named the “Slide Rule”, which Dr. Lyn Billings designed to simplify the understanding of the cycle’s phases.

He also emphasized the importance of practicing intercourse only within the marital context, in line with the values of the University.

“Among all students, UST should carry the banner of purity because UST is the only pontifical university [in the Philippines]. UST should have a strong conviction that sex is only in the context of marital life,” he stressed.

On the other hand, Manalo-Evardone introduced period-tracking applications, which can help women monitor their cycles for abnormalities and identify the optimal time for conception.

She also elaborated on the importance of choosing the proper contraceptives based on their individual needs and preferences, classifying the contraceptive methods into categories based on effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages.

ON ONE GOAL

The EmpowHER seminar spearheaded by UST-CSSC Secretary Gail Beyonce Salazar stemmed from her advocacy to empower women by breaking the stigma surrounding reproductive health and PCOS.

“Napapansin po talaga natin na maraming women and people na wala talagang masyadong awareness when it comes to these kinds of topics especially ‘yung mga societal stigma regarding menstrual health, ‘yung mga may PCOS parang nadi-discriminate sila because of it, and we really want that to stop and that is the aim of EmpowHER,” she said.

Although the seminar only had a limited number of attendees, for Salazar, utilizing other forms of media is a way to reach the majority and sustain the advocacy.

“We have social media, which really can reach a lot of people. So through that, puwede natin ma-sustain ‘yung mga ganitong kind of initiatives,” she added.

The seminar is the first part of a two-phase project by the CSSC with the second one to be implemented in February at the college’s partner community.

Organizers also handed free menstruation kits to the attendees at the end of the event.