Mumbai sees 44 per cent drop in contraceptive surgeries

When it comes to contraceptive surgery there seems to be is no change in men's mentality. Statistics of the past few years show that very few men opt for the surgery. In the year 2021-22, for every 100 women opting for tubectomy (women's contraceptive surgery), only one man underwent vasectomy (male contraceptive surgery) in Mumbai. In the year 2021-22, around 12,138 women had sterilisation surgery compared to 43 men. As per Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) health officials, men feel it's a woman's duty to get it done.

Sterilisation is one of the better options among all family planning measures. But in Mumbai, the statistics show a declining trend for this surgery. The city has witnessed an overall 44% drop in contraceptive surgeries in the past five years. In the year 2017-18, around 21,664 men and women underwent contraceptive surgery but in the year 2021-2022 till now only 12,181 men and women opted for the procedure.

Only 1% men opted for it

Since 2018, only 1% of men have undergone such a surgery compared to women, despite vasectomy being a safer surgery than tubectomy. According to data provided by the BMC health department in 2020-21, in the pandemic, only 49 men and in 2021-22 only 43 men had the surgery.

A health official from the BMC family planning department said, "We sensitise both men and women about the procedure. Male sterilisation is considered the most effective surgical method of birth control. On the other hand, women have to go through open surgery and stay for two days in the hospital. It is also a risky procedure because there could be excessive blood loss and it could cost a life."

"Most women come along with their relatives, not with their husbands. We try to make them understand the procedure, but there is no response from the husband's side even if they accompany the women. Under the family planning programme, currently, we pay Rs 1,451 to men as an incentive to undergo vasectomy, and also provide R200 to the person who motivates and brings them for it, but this is not working. On the other hand, women get around Rs 600 as incentive," the official added.

Mangala Gomare, executive officer of BMC's Health Department said, "We always try to convince men to go for the procedure but there is no change in their mindset. Men still think sterilisation is a woman's duty."

‘Must make people aware'

Dr Sagar Mundada, a psychiatrist, said the thinking differs. "Men who are less educated are extremely sensitive about their sexual potency, refuse the procedure and think it's a woman's job. Educated men go for temporary options like condoms, contraceptive injectables, etc. There is a need for awareness among people and counselling is the need of the day."

Tubal ligation or tubectomy can be done laparoscopically, which is a day procedure or an open surgery with small incisions, in which women take about two days to recover. Either way, the woman needs to undergo several blood tests and general anesthesia which adds minor risks. Moreover, the procedure can be complicated and risky in women who have undergone caesarean sections in the past.

"Vasectomy is a scalpless procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia with immediate post-operative recovery. Moreover, it is completely safe and doesn't impact libido or virility by any means. Hence, vasectomy should be promoted as a method of permanent sterilisation and people should create more awareness among men to not consider it a taboo," said Dr Gayatri Deshpande, senior consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital.