Bhubaneswar: With nearly one in every five men aged 15-49 years in Odisha agree that contraception (act of preventing pregnancy) is women’s business and a man should not have to worry about it, women in Odisha are banking high on their Saheli.

As per the Economic Survey 2024-25, two in every five women in the State have now depended on pill to avert pregnancy. And the condoms have fallen out from favour.

 Amidst the Economic Survey revelation, it is pertinent to mention the National Family Heath Survey results with regard to the contraceptive knowledge in the State. This NFHS – 5 results sheds light on why women in the State have made pills their SAHELI. (friends).

ECONOMIC SURVEY REVELATIONS

As per the Economic Survey, Condom usage has declined, potentially due to changes in public health messaging. The Survey report says:

“The analysis of family planning measures in Odisha from 2018-19 to 2023-24 reveals shifting preferences in contraceptive use among the population, highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges.”

The Survey adds:

• Adoption of Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices IUCDs has declined significantly by 13.9 per cent from the level of 2019-20
• Oral Contraceptive Pills have also seen a decrease, which suggest a possible shift towards other methods.
• Female sterilization rates have decreased, pointing towards a preference for reversible methods.
• male sterilization uptake remains very low, underscoring gender dynamics in contraceptive responsibility
• BUT use of injectables and Centchroman has increased significantly, indicating successful promotion of these methods due to their convenience and non-hormonal nature, respectively. (see the table below)

WHY PILLS TURN WOMEN’S FAVOURITE?

A glance at the above revelation by Economic Survey 2024-25 has documented a shift in preventing pregnancy methods.

In the above context, when the NFHS – 5 findings are seen, it implies BIG.

The NFHS-5 has found that 19% of men age 15-49 in Odisha agree that contraception is women’s business and a man should not have to worry about it.

• Sixty-seven percent men know that a condom, if used correctly, protects against pregnancy most of the time.
• Whereas, 7 percent of men think that women using contraception may become promiscuous.

The NHFS-5 findings show that as majority of men have felt that using condoms correctly can only prevent pregnancy, if Odisha Economic Survey findings are to believed, women in Odisha have taken the task of preventing unwanted pregnancies themselves.

As a result the usage of Centchroman pills have increased.

WHY CENTCHROMAN?

As per Union Health and Family Welfare ministry, Centchroman was introduced in Delhi in July 1991, marketed in India in 1992 as Saheli and Choice-7 ( by Hindustan Latex, Ltd) and Centron ( by Torrent Pharmaceuticals India) and included in the National Family Welfare Programme in 1995.

It says,

• Centchroman is a unique need-oriented contraceptive being effective when taken immediately after coitus or routinely as a weekly pill.
• It has the advantage of less frequent administration than oral contraceptives.
• Centchroman is effective for contraception in a 30- and 60-mg once-a-week post-coital dose regimen.

The reported advantages of centchroman over other contraceptive pill/oral contraceptives are:

(1) it is taken once a week

(2) it does not have any side effects seen with hormonal pills like nausea, vomiting and weight gain

 (3) it is considered safe for use among breastfeeding women

(4) it can be taken by women of all ages.

ECONOMIC SURVEY PRESCRIPTIONS

As per the Survey prescriptions, it says:

• These trends emphasize the need for enhanced cultural and educational interventions to promote shared responsibility in family planning
• Cconsistent policy and accessibility improvements
• Health education to ensure informed contraceptive choices.

It necessitates adaptive family planning policies that address the changing needs and preferences of Odisha's population.

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