A latest report on contraception usage pattern in India indicates that women are ‘subjected’ to contraception more than men. The report published by Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) has revealed that female contraception accounts for 74.4% of the modern contraceptive methods used in India.
A report in The Times Of India said that the ‘high percentage of the female sterilisation coupled with slow pace in adoption of other modern contraceptive methods have raised concerns among international agencies about women’s rights as well as health risks.’
However, the good part is that India has highest contraceptive prevalence rate for sterilisation at 36.9% as compared to other countries with similar demographics. The US is just lagging behind India at a rate of 36.3% followed by China at 33.2% and Brazil at 34.2%.
The major usage of female sterilisation which accounts for 74.4 % is excluded of an additional 3.7% of IUD(Intrauterine Device), that is also used by women. Compared to that, male sterilisation accounts only 2.3%, while use of condoms account for 11.4%. Pills account for 7.5% of modern methods. Injectables and implants are hardly used.
Government is also not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that the new techniques are easily available for women in the name of flexibility and women empowerment, especially for those who have never had family planning options earlier.
Apart from sterilisation, the government is giving its best to increase the number of options in contraceptives and including it under the national family planning programme. Recently, injectable contraceptive has been introduced as part of national family planning programme.
