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Perceptions Of Reversible And Permanent Contraception In India, Neha Bhardwaj

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Background: In 1951 India became the first country to launch a national family planning program focused on promoting reversible and permanent contraception including financial incentives for both method acceptors and providers. Despite governmental provision of the copper intrauterine device (IUD), oral contraceptive pills (OCP) and condoms at no cost, most Indian women choose permanent sterilization after completing childbearing. Whether the predominance of sterilization stemmed from Indian men and women’s desire for permanent contraception, from deficient knowledge and access to reversible methods, from public health messages and established norms, or from coercion in the form of incentives is unknown. Objectives: The …