Birth rate is on upward swing in Tamil Nadu

The increase in births in the last one year in Tamil Nadu follows a sharp drop in the number of women undergoing family planning surgeries.


The number of sterlisation procedures has dropped by 19.3% since 2003. Between April and December 2010, there has been nearly 4% decrease in the number of tubectomies a procedure in which the woman s fallopian tubes are tied to prevent the sperm from traveling for fertilization compared to those in the corresponding period in 2009.

Public healthcare experts say this is a worrying trend because Tamil Nadu has always been quoted as a role model for population control. said former public health director Dr S Elango.

And, though there has been an increase in the use of intra-uterine devices and oral contraceptive pills, there has been an increase in the fertility rate. The protection rate (against fertility) among couples has also gone down.

The public health and family welfare department doesn t know where all the IUDs inserted in women at maternity hospitals are going or whether women forget to pop contraceptive pills.