In India, reports estimate a rate of 144.7 pregnancies per 1000 women aged 15-49 years, and a rate of 70.1 unintended pregnancies per 1000 women aged 15-49 years; which means that nearly half of the pregnancies were not planned.
Contraception is a word so common that it affects almost every person you can think of, yet so underused that all the people you just thought of – may never have used it. This statistic itself is enough to talk about condoms, oral contraceptive pills, Injectables or Intra-uterine devices, with the same passion and frequency as sex. But the question remains:
Why don’t we talk about contraception?
Sex and the terms associated with it are considered taboo in our country. Most people avoid even saying the word in conversations where sex doesn’t even refer to intercourse. If the conversation about sex occurs so rarely, then a talk about contraceptive methods would mean acknowledging that people have sex. The awkwardness around the topic leads to people not having in-depth conversations that will lead them to make timely and appropriate decisions.
Is it okay to talk about contraception?
Yes, of course! It is always okay to talk about contraception. Contraception is just an added pill or device for your body’s wellness. Talking about contraception is as easy, and as common as talking about braces for your teeth, painkillers for a headache or even pads for your period. Not only is it okay to talk about contraception, it is imperative that we talk about contraception. In an increasingly progressive world, conversation and literacy must be built around contraception.