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A Chatbot That Answers All Our Birth Control Questions Finally Exists

A Chatbot That Answers All Our Birth Control Questions Finally Exists

Have a reproductive health question? Ask Mara

 

 

At times, I find myself wishing that the big ā€œthe birds and the beesā€ talk that parents give their kids were replaced by a big introduction to the idea of protection instead. Hear me out: we learn about the reproductive system in schoolā€“ā€“from all the scientific parts to the long process of pregnancy. But contraception? Not nearly as talked about as it should be, which is a little ridiculous, really. Learning about body parts and memorizing the travel itinerary of a sperm cell wonā€™t save you from unwanted pregnancyā€“ā€“but birth control can. So why canā€™t we freely talk about it?

 

For fear of judgment and a full-on sermon from conservative family, pharmaceutical company and global womenā€™s health leader Bayer has come up with a way to address our unanswered questions about contraceptives. Enter: Ask Mara, a Facebook Messenger-based chatbot. Designed to be our go-to-gal for reproductive health concerns, Mara slices right through the stigma surrounding sex and gives us professional, bullshit-free information with just a few taps. The chatbot is bound by the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and the lawā€™s implementing rules and regulations, so anyone with condom questions or protection panic can get their answers without anyone else having to know.

 

 

 

RELATED: Wonder Asks: What Is the Freakiest Thing Youā€™ve Done in the Bedroom?

 

Maraā€™s features include an explanation of how women get pregnant, a rundown of the locally available contraceptive methods in the country, a pill reminder and frequently asked questions on missed birth control pill schedules. While Mara can fill you in on the pros, cons and side-effects of every contraceptive method, she isnā€™t designed to prescribe or take the place of a doctor. Think of her as a replacement for all those pesky, unreliable Google searchesā€“ā€“a pre-doctorā€™s appointment, if you will!

 

 

Following the success of Bayerā€™s first reproductive health chatbot, Ask Maya, in Malaysia, Ask Mara was launched in the Philippines to become an ally for RH awareness. The name Mara represents a modern-day Maria Clara because letā€™s face it, even the most prim and proper among us are likely to have sex eventually. And hey, thatā€™s totally okayā€“ā€“as long as you know what it is youā€™re getting into.

 

 

Got a contraception-related question? Start chatting with Mara on Facebook!


RELATED: The Thing About Casual Sex

 

 

Art Alexandra Lara

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