Delhi couples top in condom use

[Guest guest]

Delhi couples top in condom use

Revathi Ramanan, TNN, Nov 24, 2010, 04.05am IST

CHENNAI: More married couples in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh use

condoms, while those in southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil

Nadu prefer other methods like sterilization to prevent pregnancy.

But there's no reason for couples in the north to brag. While they practice safe

sex as they've learnt from ad campaigns, experts claim single sex partners down

south are, perhaps, being more intelligent.

Family welfare statistics of 2009, released by the ministry of health and family

welfare, puts Andhra at the bottom of the list on condom use among married

couples, with only 0.5% using them. Karnataka comes next with 1.7%, followed by

Tamil Nadu, with 2.3% condom users.

Delhi tops the charts, with a whopping 22.9% of couples using condoms—more than

four times the national average of 5.2%. Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh

follow behind, with 15.5%, 11.8% and 8.6% of couples using them.

In south, the most preferred method of contraception is female sterilization

followed by IUD (intrauterine device). Although these states fare poorly in

terms of condom use, they rank the highest when it comes to female sterilization

and use of IUDs. In fact, AP tops the list, with almost 63% women undergoing

sterilization, followed by Karnataka (57.4%) and Tamil Nadu (55%). This could

also mean that men make the contraception decision, often asking women to

undergo sterilization.

Says VM Katoch, director general of Indian Council of Medical Research and

secretary, department of health research, " This is an interesting trend and as

more people in south use permanent sterilisation methods, it shows they are

making an intelligent decision when it comes to having children. That said,

condoms could help prevent reproductive tract infections even in monogamous

couples. "

Other experts believe women in southern states are probably more aware of

alternatives. " I think birth control pills and IUDs are better methods of

contraception than condoms. Since women in these states know more about them,

they want to try them out, " says Dr Priya Selvaraj, a Chennai-based obstetrician

and gynaecologist.

The failure rate of condoms is cited as one of the reasons for its low use.

" Condoms could fail. Also the couple need to use condoms every time they have

intercourse, unlike an IUD where the device can be inserted and forgotten for

five years. Condoms are good when trying to prevent HIV and STD, but for

monogamous couples, condom may not be the best option, " says Dr RV Thenmozhi,

gynaecologist at Fortis Malar, Chennai.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Delhi-couples-top-in-condom-use/article\

show/6978983.cms#ixzz169Zc9ENC