Post-Partum coercive intra-uterine device: Fact Finding, Delhi

Post Date: Thursday, September 8, 2016

Population growth is a concern for the Indian government. This has led to a practice, of forceful insertion of IUD as a birth control device. This report looks at this practice and the experience women have had in particular areas of Delhi.

Many hospitals in India routinely insert IUDs, with or without a woman's knowledge or consent, after childbirth and abortion. After visiting the stated slum clusters it became evident that many women from these areas have been subject to such a practice.

All the women shared that insertion of IUD as a family method is not their choice. Coerced insertion of IUD like Copper T in all the cases have occurred in case of poor and marginalized women. Despite women’s denial, they have been compelled to undergo the procedure soon after their delivery that has led to severe health related complications for all the women like excessive bleeding, back ache, weakness, nausea, cramps, vomiting etc. None of the women interviewed were informed, counseled or guided by the government hospital or health care worker about side effects or benefits of the IUD. In most of the cases Copper T has been inserted without her knowledge or is not given an opportunity to provide consent with no follow up or monitoring.

The Indian government is in violation of international human rights law when there is a control of a woman’s fertility without the consent of a woman.