Bhubaneswar: Odisha is witnessing a rise in the number of married women who want to control pregnancies but are not using any contraceptive method, according to the latest NFHS-6 for 2023-24.The survey showed that 10% of married women in the state have an unmet need for family planning, up from about 7% in the previous round of NFHS-5 (2019-21). This means one in every 10 women wants to delay or stop childbirth but lacks access to or is not using any family planning method.At the national level, however, only 8.5% of married women have an unmet need for family planning, which is lesser than Odisha.The data revealed a nearly equal split between women wanting to space births and those wanting to end childbearing altogether. Around 4.7% of women wish to delay their next child but are not using any method, while 5.3% do not want more children but remain unprotected.Health experts said this trend points to significant gaps in awareness, accessibility and counselling services. The rise in unmet need comes alongside a decline in modern contraceptive usage in the state, indicating that more couples may be relying on traditional methods or none at all.In Odisha’s urban areas, 9.1% of women have this unmet need, marginally lower than in rural pockets (10.1%), highlighting continuing challenges in last-mile healthcare delivery.The NFHS-6 report further stated that use of contraceptives among married couples in Odisha has declined sharply, while reliance on less reliable methods and female sterilisation remains high. Only 66% of couples are using any family-planning method, down from around 74% in the previous survey. It is also less than the national figure of 69.1%.Use of modern methods has dropped significantly to about 41%, even as 25% still depend on traditional methods, including withdrawal and fertility awareness-based methods, which are considered less effective. That means one in four married women in Odisha use traditional methods of contraception.Female sterilisation continues to dominate at over 26%, while male’s remains negligible at 0.3%, highlighting a persistent gender imbalance.Public health specialists warned that a high unmet need for family planning can lead to unplanned pregnancies, increased maternal health risks and added pressure on family resources.“Many couples use traditional methods of contraception. If unplanned pregnancies happen, they get over-the-counter abortion pills. But they should know it is very dangerous for women’s health. They should consult doctors for proper contraception,” said Saubhagya Kumar Jena, head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department, AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.A married woman from Ganjam said she fears modern contraception methods may create hormonal imbalance. “I do not use these modern methods, fearing side effects,” she said.The experts emphasised the need for Odisha to strengthen outreach programmes, improve access to temporary contraceptive methods like pills and condoms, and promote informed choices among couples.
