Indian women are more likely to get sterilized than they are to use any other contraceptive method in their lifetime, even when it might be harmful to their health, or to the health of their families. Contraceptive methods in India are determined by a complex mixture of traditional gender dynamics and geopolitical forces–and those forces often clash with advocates’ efforts to maximize individuals’ choices.
In “Breaking the Cycle,” we’ll dig into the past, present, and future of reproductive health in India, from early ideas about population control to on-the-ground interventions happening now to a potential future where men and women share contraceptive responsibility.
Episode 1: The Legacy of India’s Quest to Sterilize Millions of Men
In the 1970s, the Indian government was under international pressure to control its population–and took drastic action
Episode 2: How Researchers in India are Helping Couples Talk About Family Planning
Open communication and new contraceptive methods are slowly changing the conversation
Episode 3: The Indian Scientists Who Could Change the Global Contraception Conversation
They’ve spent decades developing methods with Indian users in mind–but their work could help people around the world
How We Get To Next was a magazine that explored the future of science, technology, and culture from 2014 to 2019.
