Injectables part of birth-control drive

Kounteya Sinha, TNN, Nov 17, 2010, 03.20am IST

NEW DELHI: In a bid to increase the basket of choice of contraceptives for women, India may introduce injectable contraceptives soon.

The Union health ministry has urged the Drug Technical Advisory Body (DTAB) to allow the use of DMPA injectable contraceptives as a part of the nationwide family planning programme.

Union health secretary K Sujatha Rao confirmed on Tuesday that DTAB is all set to approve use of DMPAs in the public sector.

"Earlier, sterilisation was the dominant choice for family planning. Now, spacing methods like condoms have taken over. We're also looking at introducing injectable contraceptives to increase options for women," Rao said.

In 1995, DTAB had approved the use of DMPA in the private sector. It had felt that the public sector wasn't equipped well enough to handle its use in a large-scale manner, and also manage its side effects.

"Fortunately, we now have enough manpower and infrastructure, thanks to the National Rural Health Mission," Rao said.

Presently, women who don't want to conceive can opt for condoms, oral pills, Copper T and sterilisation.

The injectables, which have to be administered every three months, have been found to be very effective. A conception rate as low as 0.3 per 100 women in the first year of use has been recorded when injections are regularly spaced three months apart.

The injection helps stop ovulation (release of eggs from ovaries). It thickens the cervical mucus, making it difficult for sperm to pass through. It, however, doesn't disrupt existing pregnancy. It is reversible and an injection can prevent pregnancy for three months.

However, there are a few disadvantages as well. Changes in menstrual bleeding are likely, including light spotting or bleeding. In fact, amenorrhea is a normal effect especially after the first year of use. These injections may also cause weight gain (average of 1-2 kilos each year).

Severe headache, nausea, abdominal cram, hair loss, lack of sex drive and acne in some women have also been recorded.

No wonder, many women's groups have been against injectable contraceptives. They claim that studies have shown that injectable contraceptives could lead to osteoporosis. This can have grave consequences for poor women with low bone density due to lack of access to nutritious diet.

In the case against the injectable Net En -- filed in the Supreme Court in 1986 against the Union of India, ICMR, DCGI and others by Saheli and other women's groups -- the government had admitted in 2000 during the closure of the case that mass use of Net En in the family planning programme was not advisable.


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/