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Popularity of morning-after pills fuels concerns in India
NEW DELHI — Heavy use of "morning-after" pills is causing concern in India where the government has banned ads criticised for promoting them as a primary contraceptive rather than an emergency…
NEW DELHI — Heavy use of "morning-after" pills is causing concern in India where the government has banned ads criticised for promoting them as a primary contraceptive rather than an emergency measure.Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, are freely available over the counter in India, which remains largely conservative in its attitudes to sex and sex education.More than 8.2 million ECPs were sold in 2009, an increase of 250 percent from the previous year, and health workers are voicing growing concerns that the pills are being misused."It's all very well to say people are becoming sexually liberal, but who's going to talk about the long term effects of this quick solution?" said Radhika Chandiramani, a clinical psychologist who chairs a sexual health organization."The manufacturers don't mention it in their media campaigns. Parents and teachers don't teach children about sex, STDs, and contraceptives. So who is going to tell these kids that these pills are not sweets?" Chandiramani said.India is plagued with poor healthcare and one of the main reasons for introducing freely available oral contraceptives was to make them accessible to women in rural areas where the majority of unsafe abortions occur.The two most popular brands in India are "I-pill" and "Unwanted 72".Rippon Nath, who owns a pharmacy in New Delhi, said the number of customers asking for ECPs was growing on a monthly basis."Some even come and take up to four boxes at a time," he said.ECPs contain significantly higher doses of the same hormones found in regular oral contraceptive pills, and for this reason are recommended for periodic rather than regular use.Doctors in India say the growing popularity of the pills, and the apparent frequency with which they are being taken, is disturbing on two levels.As well as heightening the risk of negative side effects, routine use suggests they are being favoured over condoms without offering the same protection against sexually tr
last modification 2010-07-23 08:00:16
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