Dr KK
Aggarwal, National President IMA
Dr RN Tandon, Hony Secretary
General IMA
Dr Rishma
Pai, President FOGSI 2017
Dr
Hrishikesh Pai, Secretary General FOGSI 2017
Today is World Population Day, a day earmarked
by the United Nations to create awareness about population issues worldwide.
The importance of family planning is one such very important issue.
In a momentous occasion, 3 lakh doctors of the
Indian Medical Association (IMA) and 37,000 doctors of FOGSI, the Federation of
Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India, have joined hands to create
awareness about a paradigm shift in contraception in a bid to empower women
with choices available and help them to make the right choice for themselves.
There is now a basket of choices available in our
country, from the irreversible tubectomy to the reversible long-acting spacing
methods of contraception such as the intrauterine device (effectiveness lasting
for 3-year duration or 10-year duration) and the implants.
Injectable contraceptive has recently been added as
a new contraceptive choice.
The
various methods of contraception can be categorized into three groups based on
their effectiveness.
·
Most effective: These
include the long-acting reversible contraception and sterilization, which is a
permanent method. The pregnancy rates are the lowest because their
effectiveness is minimally influenced by the actions of the user or adherence.
·
Effective: In this
category, the injectable contraceptives have the highest effectiveness. Other
options are the oral contraceptive pills, transdermal patch and the vaginal
ring. But their effectiveness rests on the user and incorrect or irregular use
is associated with higher pregnancy rates.
·
Least effective:
Diaphragms, cervical caps, sponges, male and female condoms, spermicides,
periodic abstinence and withdrawal are associated with much higher pregnancy
rates.
Contraceptive counseling also involves informing
the woman about the various choices available in the country today along with
the associated risks and benefits in addition to educating them about
contraception, their present and future contraceptive needs and the risks of
unintended pregnancy so that she can balance the advantages of each method
against its disadvantages and side effects and decide on a preferred method.
Emergency contraception is another important option
that young adults should be aware of including the right way to use it to
prevent an unplanned pregnancy. For individuals at risk of sexually transmitted
infections, the use of condoms is recommended.
Instead of the doctor taking a decision alone on
behalf the woman, the two should together decide on what would be the best
method of contraception taking into consideration the personal preferences,
social and cultural factors along with the efficacy, safety and side effects of
different contraceptives.
A judgment of the UK Supreme Court in 2015 in the
case of Montgomery vs Lanarkshire Health Board changed the law on informed
consent in the UK. According to the judgement, when counseling the patients
about the benefits and risks of various treatment options, doctors are now
required to ensure that “the patient is aware of any material risks involved
in any recommended treatment, and of any reasonable alternative or variant
treatments”. And, to consider whether “a reasonable person in the
patient’s position would be likely to attach significance to the risk, or the
doctor is or should reasonably be aware that the particular patient would be
likely to attach significance to it."
Data show that women prefer the long-acting
reversible contraception as a first choice of contraception over sterilization.
It is a highly efficient method with failure rates equal to or better than the
permanent method; moreover, it is non-surgical, cost-effective and reversible.
Instead of opting for irreversible tubectomy, there
is now an alternate choice of reversible long-term contraception.
Women who request a sterilization should also be
counseled about the long-acting reversible contraception as a method of choice
of contraception marking a paradigm shift from permanent method to the
long-acting reversible contraception.
Dr KK Aggarwal
National President IMA & HCFI
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