Let's talk about (safe) sex, baby !

Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan
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"...we all know how and where babies come from, thanks in no small part to our parents and Cartoon Network : storks deliver them when mommy and daddy love each other. While these storks tend to be really busy in our beloved nation, sometimes we would just prefer that the storks took their own sweet time and circled around the block before they visited us..."

"The reasons stated against using birth control are aplenty and even bizarre at times : I want a boy/ I want a girl / I want a sister for my son/ I want a brother to look after the sister who will look after her younger brother/ No one else in my family uses protection / It's against my religion / How to tell him to use a condom / My mother told me not to use anything..." 

Maithili of Darlings of Venus invited me back for another guest post ( talk about a glutton for punishment ! ) after my first post for pregnant women. This time around, it's something simpler but still considered taboo in our prudish society - the options for contraception for women in India today. For me, I don't see the point in adding religious, social or cultural hues to what is basically a woman's choice, a couple's decision and more importantly, essential knowledge.  

So keeping that in mind, here is the first part of my guest post on the options a couple have for birth control in India..


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  1. I read this post, Doc, at Darlings of Venus. Humor + awareness - that was a really healthy cocktail ! Thanks a lot for posting this ! I remember, in the previous firm where I worked, when employees had babies, it came in the newsletter as 'Stork visit'. Yes thats a good way to escape questions from kids!

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    1. I never get the point - things which need to be discussed, noone wants to... and yet they expect a population control by magic

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  2. Informative post! It is ironic that we tend to quote our great supposedly grand ancient culture but conveniently avoid the fact that Kamasutra was also a part of it! And propagate the Stork theory of life!

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    1. This present generation is still stuck under the restraints of the previous generations 'amazing' culture taboos.. you can discuss who u hate at home, but u cant discuss love. The 'We two, our two' ads for population control were there on Doordarshan back when we only had DD - still what was the point ? No major effort to teach women and empower them was made. If a talk was convened, its in public where everyone ends up embarrassed to be there.

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  3. I think it is very relevant topic..what with population in India spiralling out of control. Having sex and babies seems to be the biggest pastime of Indians next to watching Cricket and Movies , I guess :P

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    1. LP, ironically, ur right. It is a passtime for a great deal of Indians, rather than something to be discussed. Noone seems concerned about how they will feed the cricket team they are giving birth to.

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  4. Wonderful post, Roshan! The other day, I witnessed a family consisting of 2 men and 2 women with 7 children on a roadside pavement. All the children had a gap of a year or 2 between them and the best was that one of the woman was pregnant too. I wish these guys know about word 'Contraception'!!

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    1. You aren't kidding. I have seen so many families just like this - an entourage of kids coming with the mom for her next delivery ! And even still if the gynecologist started discussing contraception, the lady starts hemming and hawing ...

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  5. SUPERB POST ROSH... FULL OF INFORMATION IN UR OWN STYLE....

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    1. Thanks Padai, who would have believed I was teaching sex ed online , based on our days of studying it in the hostel !! :D

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  6. " Contraception" is only an expression for them...they live in cramped houses ,no entertainment

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    1. sadly that is very much the truth.. sex does indeed become the only entertainment .. and the fact that no one bothers about contraception just worsens the scenario.

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  7. Great post Dr.Roshan. But I think today you can't escape Kids with "stork visit" story. Unlike our times children know a lot more.
    And of our and earlier generations, how can you blame them if storks like them so much and want to visit them every year, blame PETA for not allowing them to shoot the storks :)

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    1. true.. PETA is responsible for the population rise... thats why I take revenge on chickens, muttons and fish daily !!

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  8. Yeah baby...added in my comments to your guest post! I have watched so many sessions on this by field workers--enjoyed sharing my insights. Hope your readers are not too aghast with my comment!

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    1. The whole idea of DoV is women empowerment, I think :) Besides, its sex ed - shouldnt be a shocker that sex is being discussed :D

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  9. read the guest post.. liked it.. and on this page closed my left eye just to ignore that damn badge :/

    u know kids today cannot be fooled by this stork story or a santa story.. the eldest grandchild in our family when she was 4 was told she was bought in by santa and she immediately asked 'In April??' yeah she was born in April :D :D

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    1. wow.. thats actually a really smart answer for a 4 year old... something I never thought of... but wait ! Does that mean I wasn't bought by Santa either ? I always assumed he was just late getting to my house ( January ) !

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    2. eh very funny :P.. ur budday is nearing now.. tell us when is it?? not for gifts but for treat :D :D

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    3. treat ??? i've been treating u every year on my bday... u remember having holiday on my birthday in january, going to school, saluting a flag and getting laddus.. that was the country celebrating my brilliance year after year :)
      on my request, they toned it down to something called republic day

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