The government funded injectable contraceptive is called Modroxy Progesterone Acetate or MPA and can prevent pregnancy for up to 3 months.
The injection can prevent pregnancy for 3 months
HIGHLIGHTS
- The injections can prevent pregnancy by up to 3 months
- MPA is a safer alternative to hormonal pills
- A woman can conceive seven months after she stops MPA
On account of World Population Day, the Maharashtra Government has launched the 'Antara' program which involves giving women the Modroxy Progesterone Acetate (MPA) injection to prevent unwanted pregnancy. The state has become the first to launch this injectable contraceptive, procuring 33,000 doses of injections to cover different regions of Maharashtra. According to the state health minister Dr. Deepak Sawant, this injection can be considered as a safer alternative to hormonal pills because of its minimal side effects. The program will be launched in 23 district hospitals, 20 medical colleges and 12 women's hospitals.
Free of cost and safer option
The new method under the government-funded contraceptives will add to the existing contraception methods, such as intrauterine devices, pills and permanent sterilization procedure- tubectomy that are available for family planning. According to official reports, the injections will prevent pregnancy for three months, and allow conception seven months after the injection is stopped. Moreover, the injection needs to be given intramuscularly to women in the age bracket of 18-45 years. As far as the side effects of this contraceptive method are concerned, the woman using this injection might have scanty bleeding, irregular menstrual cycle and amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) which can be treated using a couple of medications prescribed by the doctors.
According to a senior Mumbai gynecologist, Dr M. Purandare, "The MPA injection method of birth control is popular and the government is providing it free of cost. It is safe but can have side effects which are not major."
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Endorses Family Planning
Marking the World Population Day, the Maharashtra government, launched the program to enforce family planning and spread the awareness of birth control using medically safer options.
According to Dr Archana Patil, Maharashtra's joint director for family planning, India's neighboring nations, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, have already implemented this new method of contraception. "If spacing program is properly implemented, 30 per cent of maternal deaths and 10 per cent child deaths can be prevented in the state. We need to create awareness on keeping a gap between two children for a healthy mother," she said.
"A lot of focus is now required on spacing methods in family planning. This contraceptive will add to existing basket of choices for women," said Union Health Secretary C K Mishra. In India, private healthcare already uses MPA injection for contraception. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has chosen four states where the injections will be launched.
Also Read World Population Day 2017: 4 Reasons Why Family Planning Is Important
According to state Health Minister Deepak Sawant, family planning programs needs to focus on issues of early pregnancy and repeated pregnancies in both urban and rural areas. "We also need to counsel men for male sterilization. The problem of male ego deters many from undergoing vasectomy surgeries. Health workers must raise awareness." he said.
Adding further to the benefits of the newly launched birth-control initiative, the state Additional Chief Secretary Vijay Satbir Singh said that the population stabilization campaign will continue for a week to create awareness about the new contraceptive, being provided free of cost by the government.
Also Read : Tips For Safe And Natural Birth Control
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