National Programme for Family Planning

To reduce the increasing birth rate and stabilize the growing population as per the requirements of economic and social progress of the country, the Indian Government in 1952 launched the National Programme for Family Planning. Interestingly, India became the first country in the world to launch such a programme. The program helps in mitigating the risk of increasing population growth, thereby helping women achieve the desired family size and avoid mistimed or unintended pregnancies. Earlier, the focus of the program was only on offering women a bunch of contraceptives methods as a part of its ‘Plan Banao, Zimmedari Nibhao’ campaign. But over the years, the program has undergone transformation and is now focused on reproductive health, reducing maternal, infant and child morbidity and mortality.

The Government has popularized the slogan, ‘Hum Do, Humare Do’ promoting the norm of having only two-children. Moreover, awareness has been built through various forms of media. Government has also established several clinics for family planning and reproductive health.

Below are the few factors identified by the government that lead to population growth

• Unfulfilled need of family planning: This includes married women who do not wish to have kids for next two to three years, but are not using any contraceptive method.

• Age at marriage and first childbirth: Early marriage and child birth are one of the important factors contributing to the rising population. In India, 26.8% girls are married off at the age of 18 years and out of total deliveries over 6.1% are among teenagers between the age group of 15-19 years.

• Birth spacing: Spacing of birth i.e. the waiting period between pregnancies helps in improving survival chances of the infants and even reducing the impact of momentum on the population growth.

• The programme was launched in the year 1952 with primary objective of: lower fertility rates and slow population growth
• The programme was tied to the government's five year economic planning plan
• Over the course of years, preferred method of birth control became sterilization and IUDs instead of the rhythm method i.e. the ovulation period
• To control birth rate, Indira Gandhi government in the year 1970 had executed forced sterilization
• By the year 1996, the family program had successfully averted 16.8 crore births

• Contraceptive methods available in India can be broadly divided into two categories: spacing method and permanent method. Emergency contraceptive pills can be used in case of an emergency.

• Spacing methods: This type of method can be used by couples who wish to have children later in future

• Oral contraceptive pills: These are hormonal pills that are to be taken by the women within a specific period of time. The brand Mala-N is available free of cost at all public healthcare facilities.

• Condoms: This barrier methods benefit couples in two ways: prevention of pregnancy and also prevent in transmission of reproductive infection or sexually transmitted diseases.

• Intrauterine contraceptive device: IUCDs made of copper are placed inside women and are a highly effective method for long term birth spacing.

• Permanent methods: This type of method can be opted by the female or male member and is irreversible

  Female sterilization

  • This includes the below procedures
  • Minilap under which the fallopian tube is blocked or cut
  • Laparoscopic under which a thin tube with a lens is inserted into the abdomen and fallopian tube is blocked or cut
  Male sterilization

  Under this procedure, the tubes that carry sperm to the penis are cut or blocked by using heat or electricity. Both conventional and non-scalpel vasectomy methods are used in India.

  Salient Features of the National Family Planning Programme

  On-going intervention

  • Fixed day static services are available at all facilities
  • Increased emphasis on spacing methods
  • Accreditation of private/NGO facilities to increase provider base for family planning services under PPP
  • Increasing male participation and promoting non scalpel vasectomy
  • Compensation of loss of wages for sterilization acceptors and their beneficiaries
  • National family indemnity insurance scheme under which in case of death of complication caused due to sterilization, the male member is compensated
  • Introduction of short term IUCD for 5 years by the Ministry of Health & Welfare
  • Introduction of new method of IUCD insertion
  • Placement of dedicated family planning counselors and training personnel at district hospitals
  Pregnancy testing kits

  Home based pregnancy kits were launched under NRHM in the year 2008 by the Family Planning Division on 24th January’ 2021

  The kits are available at sub-centers and to the ASHAs.

  These kits help in early detection of the pregnancy, thus helping couples decide on the outcome

  Ensuring spacing at birth

  Under the new scheme launched by the Government of India , services of ASHA to be utilized for counseling newly married couples to have kids after 2 years and couples with 1 child to have another after spacing minimum of 3 years.

  This scheme is currently operational in states like Gujarat, Haryana and North Eastern parts of India.

  • Rs. 500 to be given to the couple for conceiving after 2 years of marriage
  • Rs. 500 to be given to the couple for conceiving after 3 years from the birth of 1st child
  • Rs. 1000 in case if couple opts for permanent limiting method up to 2 kids only

  Improving contraceptive supply management up to peripheral facilities

  Demand generation activities in the form of billboards, posters and other video and audio materials at various facilities

  New ways to improve and get quick access to contraception

  Political will and advocacy in states with high fertility rates

  New interventions to improve contraception access

  Improved packaging of the contraceptives to make it attractive, thereby increasing demands

  Planning for improved service delivery through promotion of postpartum family planning

• Fertility rate is declining. For instance, in 1966, birth rate was 5.7 per woman, as of 2014, it was 2.3 birth per woman
• Increased awareness of the modern methods of contraception
• Increase in usage of contraceptive methods like usage of condoms which helps in prevention of sexually tranmitted diseseases, reproductive infection and controlling pregnancy
• Increased awareness of female sterilization techniques
• Fertility rate among educated women and high income groups is low
• AYUSH doctors are trained in IUCD after a short refresher course. Yoga and naturopathy doctors are not allowed to perform IUCD insertions
• IUCD tracking software has been designed to track the number of ICUDs
• Insertion of IUCD during the postpartum period, known as Post-partum Intra-uterine Contraceptive Device (PPIUCD), is being focused to address the high unmet need of spacing during postpartum period.
• Assured delivery of family planning services
• Appointment of counselors at various facilities
• Placement of trained providers at facilities to educate couples on regular family planning services