Mumbai: The state has launched the ‘Antara’ Programme, which involves giving women the Medroxy Progesterone Acetate (MPA) injection to prevent unwanted pregnancy. The injection should be taken every three months to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Though the injection causes minimal side effects, it is safer than hormonal pills, state health minister Dr Deepak Sawant said.
The state came up with Antara on the ‘World Population Day’. The injection is taken within seven days after starting the menstrual cycle and six weeks after post partum (after giving birth). Dr Sawant said, “The injection MPA is provided in 23 district hospitals, 12 women hospitals and 20 government medical colleges, hospital are trained for use of injection MPA. State has received 33,000 doses of injection MPA.”
A senior Mumbai gynaecologist, Dr M. Purandare, said, “The MPA injection method of birth control is popular and the government is providing it free of cost. It is a safe but MPA can have side effects, including headache and stomach ache, but the side effects are not major.”
