Women not afraid to tie their tubes but men fear the 'impotent' tag

With the city population touching 1 crore according to the 2011 census report, the BBMP health department has been tasked with checking the growing population but the doctors in charge of population control method programme says, the belief among men is that the surgery will lead to impotency.

According to the department, 5,314 cases of tubectomy as a simple operation procedure were performed among women in 2016 where as not a single male agreed for vasectomy fearing 'impotency'. The last time the BBMP scheduled men for vasectomy was in 2015 where only 81 males agreed for the procedure.

Dr Kalavathi, Medical health officer and In-charge, family planning wing in BBMP said,"Men’s fear of becoming impotent, loss of strength, shame in the society is coming in the way of medical team. The parents who come to BBMP's  36 maternity homes and six referral hospital are approached for the procedure which is voluntary. Women do come forward but the males have a reservation." 

The procedures like latest laparoscopic tubectomy technology or intra uterine device (IUD) is used these days which is very simple. Tubectomy is a surgical procedure for sterilisation in which a woman's fallopian tubes  are clamped and blocked or severed and sealed, either of which prevents the eggs from reaching the uterus for implantation. Tubal ligation is considered a permanent method of sterilisation and birth control. If the family opts for an extended family later, the women cannot conceive, hence IUD method is preferred more. 

 "The IUD is mostly started six weeks after child birth. The Copper T is a simple intra-uterine device (IUD) in which a  T-shaped piece of plastic wrapped with a thin copper containing wire is  inserted. This shape is chosen as it fits the area around the uterus, allowing for the  Copper T to sit in place for years without moving around and will avoid unwanted pregnancy. The wire can be removed when a women wants," explained Dr Shobha, senior family planning wing, BBMP health department.

Although the tubectomy is picking up by the day there are no takers for the vasectomy procedure for men.  "Some women in middle class and low social economic strata say by chance if they conceive after a month or two after the tubectomy operation, it will ruin the family. The husband’s family will ostracise and question their character,"

Aggressive campaigning:

The doctors at the family planning wing are now contemplating exploring the opportunity to intensify the IUD method of contraception immediately after child birth as the women may also refuse coming back for surgeries. "It takes only five minutes in the Copper T method and before the operation, the process will be explained and we will take the patient’s consent. As the uterus shrinks soon, the best way is to fix it ten minutes after child birth. The procedure will not harm women and it is safe," said Dr Shobha.