Injectable Contraceptive Introduced Under National Family Planning Programme Has No Serious Side-Effects: Govt

NEW DELHI -- The recently-introduced injectable contraceptive under the National Family Planning Programme has no long-term impacts or serious side-effects, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel also said the loss in bone mineral density due to the injectable contraceptive is temporary and reversible.

She said the loss in bone mineral density can be recovered between four and six months from the day the injectable contraceptive is stopped.

The minister said the injectable contraceptive, which was approved by the government recently,



is being introduced in a phased manner and will reach the sub-centre level in the end.

Medroxy Progesterone Acetate (MPA) was introduced under the National Family Planning Programme only after a technical resource group comprising of experts discussed the safety concerns in detail and recommended its inclusion, she said responding to supplementaries.

"There are no long term impacts and serious side effects of injectable MPA," she said.

Patel informed that as per a data on 'ever use' of modern contraception, only 11 per cent of women have "ever used" pills as a contraceptive choice.