Female Sterilization in India: Trends, Patterns and Consequences

India was the first country in the world to launch an official family planning programme in 1952 primarily to reduce population growth 1 . During the initial phase of the family planning programme ‘rhythm’ was the only family planning method recommended by the government. Following the failure of this method due to inaccurate use, the government recommended other family planning methods such as condoms, diaphragms and jelly 2 . These methods were provided to couples through hospitals, health centres, and birth control clinics and this ‘clinic approach’ continued until 1960s. In the 1960s, the government emphasised the need to motivate couples to accept family planning by an ‘extension approach’ and many new methods were introduced. Sterilisation was introduced in 1966 with targets to be achieved by health workers 3 . In 1967 the government introduced cash incentives to attract sterilization acceptors to accelerate the pace of fertility decline. During Emergency (1975 to 1977), aggressive sterilisation camps were held all over India and about 8.25 million sterilizations were carried out. However, these camps mainly offered male sterilisation 3 .