Women Account for 97.7% Sterilisation Procedures in Maharashtra, Shows Official Data
Pune, 23rd June 2026: Despite male sterilisation being a simpler, safer and less invasive family planning procedure, women continue to bear the overwhelming burden of permanent contraception in Maharashtra. Official data for 2025–26 shows that of the 2.81 lakh family planning surgeries performed across the state, 2.75 lakh were female sterilisation procedures, while only 6,462 were male sterilisation procedures.
The figures indicate that women accounted for 97.7% of all family planning surgeries, compared to just 2.3% for men, highlighting a persistent gender imbalance in reproductive healthcare responsibilities.
Health experts attribute the low uptake of male sterilisation to social stigma, misconceptions about masculinity, and entrenched patriarchal attitudes. Male sterilisation is a permanent contraceptive procedure that requires no stitches, usually takes only 15 to 30 minutes, and is considered safer and less complicated than female sterilisation. The government also provides an incentive of ₹1,500 for men opting for the procedure.
However, the response remains poor, with women continuing to undergo sterilisation, often immediately after childbirth or a caesarean delivery. Health officials said this places an additional physical and emotional burden on women and underscores the need for greater male participation in family planning.
Officials stressed that family planning should not be viewed solely as a woman’s responsibility and called for intensified awareness campaigns to dispel myths surrounding male sterilisation and encourage shared responsibility among couples.
State data also shows a gradual decline in the total number of family planning surgeries, from 3.03 lakh in 2023–24 to 2.86 lakh in 2024–25, and 2.81 lakh in 2025–26.
