New contraceptive methods to avoid unintended pregnancies; public shows willingness, says BMCRI dean

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: As the Department of Health and Family Welfare implemented the new contraceptive methods such as Subdermal single-rod contraceptive implants and subcutaneous injectables to avoid unintended pregnancies, the dean of Bengaluru Medical College and Research Institute Dr Savitha told News Trail that the public is showing great interest to benefit from the methods.

These new contraceptives are said to give women more control over their reproductive health which will also reduce the infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR) by allowing the women to maintain the spacing between births.

According to the doctors, the sub-dermal single-rod contraceptive implant is a long acting reversible; it will be inserted under the skin of the upper arm and will be effective for three years, while the other one will be given as a dose, but will be effective for three months.

As Karnataka is one of the other few states selected for the implementation of this pilot project, the project is said to have got a good response.

Dr Savitha said the sub-dermal singlerod contraceptive method has been carried out only in Bengaluru and Bidar in Karnataka. KC General Hospital and Vani Vilas Hospital, a state-run hospital attached to the BMCRI successfully rolled out the project.

“We have so far given the subdermal single rod contraceptive method to more than twenty-five people and are seeing great response from the public. However, we are not forcing anyone to take it”, she said.

Doctors have also said neither of the two new contraceptives has any side effects and is a five-minute procedure with gynaecologists administering it.

Sources say there are 10,000 implants available for Bengaluru and Bidar and 20,000 subcutaneous injections. However, News Trail’s attempts to verify it multiple times failed.