[Reader-list] Labour room as a space for unheard voices

[kuldeep kaur]

  Counter Contraceptives

Contraceptives are considered as backbone of family planning program adopted in 1952. 
The role and methods of contraceptives is well advertised through mass media by agencies (government and non-governments) related to family planning and female health. These so-called awareness campaigns have not been translated into social awareness if my thirty respondents are any indicator of society. Lack of awareness accompanied by well-entrenched social attitude contributes to no or least use of contraceptives to plan the childbirth and spacing between two children. This can be ascertained from the women when they arrive to deliver babies in the labour room. Only two out of thirty respondents used the contraceptives immediately after marriage. Rest of the respondents let the pregnancy took place at its own. Seventeen out of thirty were pregnant within six months after marriage. What about the claims of family planning department? This is not only a question about planning but also the social importance of institution of marriage. Here marriage seems less important about the chemistry of couple getting married more important to produce children. 
One more thing worth mentioning is that most of contraceptives used by the respondents were female responsibility. Only two respondents depended upon condoms. A respondent was handed over condom by a health worker without any guidance so she threw it away on her way back to home. None of the respondent is planning vasectomy as method of contraceptive despite its being most effective and safest method. In all the cases the choice of contraceptive was made by the male and forced upon the female. 
It is noticed that if the first child is female second pregnancy is sought at the earliest after the birth of girl child. If the first child is male then the possibility of gap between second pregnancy is more. The respondents with first child as female are articulate about their choice of second child — male. Only five respondents were aware of the fact that sex of the child is determined by X and Y chromosomes. What about the advertisement campaigns carried out by concerned departments?


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