Over 4,000 women adopt new contraceptive methods in Karnataka since September last year

Karnataka introduces new contraceptive methods for healthy birth spacing, with over 4,000 women adopting them since last year.

Over 4,000 women in Karnataka have chosen to use newer contraceptive methods for healthy birth spacing since September last year.

To prevent maternal and infant morbidities and mortalities by ensuring healthy birth spacing, the National Family Planning programme introduced two new contraceptive options, subdermal single rod implants and subcutaneous injectables, last year. Four districts from Karnataka — Bengaluru, Bidar, Mysuru, and Yadgir — are among the 40 districts in 10 States where the new options were introduced in the first phase. 

The Health Department is all set to extend the new contraceptive options in six more districts in Karnataka on the occasion of World Population Day that is observed on July 11.

The State Health Department introduced subdermal single rod implants in K.C. General, Vani Vilas Hospitals in Bengaluru, and Government MCH Hospital and Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences in Bidar. The subcutaneous injectables were introduced in Mysuru and Yadgir in a vertical line from the Medical College level to the sub-centre level. This included district and taluk hospitals, community and primary health centres and sub-centres in both these districts.

At 1.7, Karnataka’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which is the average number of children a woman would have in the course of her life, is below replacement (the rate at which the population replaces itself), according to NFHS-5.

State Health Commissioner Randeep D. said since the rollout of the new methods as many as 1,950 women have adopted single rod implants in the four hospitals in Bengaluru and Bidar.

“Subdermal single rod implants are long-acting reversible contraceptives that are  safe. They can be used by all women who want to postpone the pregnancy for three years or less,” the Commissioner said. The subcutaneous injectables are also long acting reversible contraceptives. To be taken once in three months, these are self injectable. As many as 1,547 women are using it in Mysuru district and 603 in Yadgir district, he said.