In recent years, with the increased pace of urbanisation and modernisation, Indian women of all social classes have entered professional occupations.

Female infanticide - the killing of female infants because they are female- has occurred not only in several cultures across history, but is known to occur in contemporary societies as well [George et al 1992].

Numerous studies have found that most Indian couples have a strong preference for sons over daughters. In an effort to have sons, many couples continue to have children after achieving their desired family size. This practice may have retarded India's fertility decline.

Long back in 1971, the committee on the status of women in India was appointed by the Government of India to undertake a comprehensive examination of all the questions relating to the rights and status of women in the context of changing social and economic conditions in the country and new probl

In early fifties, socioeconomic implications of population growth were a matter of concern largely in the context of the argument that rapid population growth is an obstacle to development.

The demographic transition in the developed countries occurred without a government sponsored family planning programme. The transition took place in a synchronized manner along with socio-economic development. The rate of growth of their population was never very high.

In the year 1950, injectable contraceptives were developed (containing only progestin). For the treatment of endometriosis and endometrial cancer as well as of painful menstrual periods, (dysmenorrhoea), excessive hair growth (hirsutism), and bleeding disorders, progestins were finally used.

The paper uses the National Family Health Survey (NFHS, 1992-93) data to examine the extent to which sex preferences have constrained the success of the family planning programme and inhibited the acceptance of contraception in the different states of the country.

A woman would prefer to prevent an unwanted pregnancy rather than having an abortion or carrying the pregnancy to term. No amount of legal or religious restrictions, social stigma or lack of access to professional care can stop her if she decides to seek termination of an unplanned pregnancy.

Acceptance and sustained use of family planning especially of modern spacing methods have generally been low in developing countries particularly in India. The use rate for modern spacing methods was only 6 per cent among the eligible couples in India in 1992 (IIPS, 1995).