Ask Mara, the telemedicine support platform for Filipinas, is getting an upgrade
Since its inception in 2019, Ask Mara, an online women’s reproductive health chat support, has empowered Filipinas to make informed choices on contraception and their overall reproductive health. In the midst of a health crisis, telemedicine support platforms are even more convenient, as lockdown restrictions tighten. With the promise of privacy, the digital platform gives women a judgment-free zone to air out their questions and concerns regarding reproductive health.
This year, the Facebook-exclusive chatbot gets an upgrade with features that include access to teleconsultation services, locate nearby pharmacy drugstores (Mercury Drug, Watsons, Southstar and Rose Pharmacy) and get more information on topics like androgen excess and endometriosis.
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With more Filipinas wanting to address their reproductive health concerns especially in a pandemic, Ask Mara held a virtual event entitled The PILLipina Choice: Your Voice For Your Empowered Choice in time for World Contraception Day. Here, leading women’s health advocates and influencers helped destigmatize the contraceptive pill.
Jillian Gatcheco, former Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan Philippines and a supporter of reproductive rights, shares, “It’s great that Ask Mara is there as a friendly resource for Filipinas who want on-demand advice about contraception and reproductive health. It’s accessible, expert-driven, and most importantly, non-judgmental.”
Voice talent and podcast host Inka Magnaye, who is very public about her battle with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), notes, “With our current limited access to professional advice, Mara gives us real power through reliable information.” In The PILLipina Choice, she adds, “Ask Mara can help me get in touch with a doctor, locate the nearest drugstore and even send me reminders. She gives us options, provides reliable information and just enables us to make an informed choice.”
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“Mara is really your go-to-girl for relevant health choices and now she makes it easier for us to access our partner experts,” shares Dr. Marie Michelle Dado, a Fellow of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society. She adds, “In this pandemic where it can be difficult to get in touch with doctors and find options for contraceptive and reproductive health, these new features help take some of the worry out for women and let us focus on ourselves, on work and our family.”
Filipinas need safe and easy access to the right information and support to make informed reproductive health choices and own them. Want to Ask Mara? Start chatting with your go-to gal for contraception on Facebook Messenger.
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Banner Image Ask Mara
Art Matthew Ian Fetalver
