Just a year after emergency contraceptive pills were approved for sale in the open market, they have caught on in a big way.
Just a year after emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) were approved for sale in the open market, they have caught on in a big way. The health ministry’s District Level Household Survey-3 (DLHS-3) found that awareness was as high as 60% among girls in urban areas and 40% in rural areas.
Mumbai-based International Institute for Population Sciences found that awareness about ECP among unmarried girls was highest in Delhi (61%) and lowest in Bihar (14.2%). It was also high in Goa (57%), Kerala (53%), Karnataka (45%), Gujarat (41%), Rajasthan (50%). It was low in Maharashtra (28%) even though in urban areas more than 34% girls knew about the ECPs and its usage.
Interestingly, unmarried girls were found to be more aware about pills as a means of contraception than any other method. Over 80% of young girls told the researchers that sex education and family life education were essential.
The survey found a marginal increase in prevalence of contraceptive methods in most states from the earlier survey (2002-04). Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand recorded the lowest level of contraceptive prevalence (less than 40%) while West Bengal (73%) had highest prevalence, followed by Maharashtra (64%), Kerala (63%), Gujarat (62%), Karnataka (62%).
Also, about 90% of girls were aware about the legal age of marriage, which has probably helped in reducing child marriages. Barring Rajasthan and Bihar, the average marriageable age for girls was 18 in all states. It Bihar and Rajasthan it was 17 years.
Also, health and family welfare indicators have improved markedly and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) seems to be making an impact, the survey found.
Institutional deliveries have gone up, so have immunisation. In the maternal health care area, the percentage of women availing antenatal care services range from 55% in Meghalaya to almost complete coverage in Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala.
Institutional deliveries have gone up, particularly in Kerala, Pondicherry, Goa, and Tamil Nadu, where over 90% of births take place in institutions/hospitals with the help of health professionals.
It was picking up in Karnataka (65%), Maharashtra (64%), Gujarat (57%) and Rajasthan (46%) but low in Bihar (28%), Jharkhand (18%), Uttar Pradesh (25%) and Chhattisgarh (18%).
Full immunisation coverage of children varied from 30% in UP to 93% in Goa. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Punjab and Pondicherry had 80% or more coverage while 77% in Karnataka, 74% in Maharashtra, 53% in Gujarat and 49% in Rajasthan were fully immunised.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}