Building an Equal Partnership: A Couple’s Guide to Discussing Family Planning

Let’s talk about a scene that plays out in living rooms.

Meet Riya and Kartik, a young couple living in Baruipur, Kolkata. They have been married for two years. Riya is chasing a promotion at her IT firm, and Kartik is trying to scale his small business. They are happy, but there is a lingering silence between them.

Every time they visit relatives, an aunt asks, “So, when is the ‘good news’ coming?”

Kartik usually laughs it off, and Riya looks at the floor. Later, in their bedroom, they talk about everything—dinner, finances, office politics—except the one thing that matters most right now: Family planning discussion for couples.

For generations, contraception was seen as “her problem.” She takes the pill; she manages the appointments. But times have changed. A marriage is a partnership of equals, and that partnership must extend to reproductive health.

This guide is for the Riya and Kartik in all of us—couples who want to build a life together, not just drift into one.

Why the Silence? Talk about Family Planning Loudly

The hardest part is often just opening your mouth for real cause. In many Indian households, contraception is still a taboo topic, even between husband and wife. But silence is expensive. It can lead to unplanned pregnancies that disrupt careers or, conversely, waiting too long and facing fertility issues later.

Starting family planning conversations shouldn’t be like a business meeting. It should be a part of your ‘dreaming together’.

• Don’t bring it up during a fight or when one of you is stressed about work. Sunday morning over tea is better than Tuesday night after a bad commute.
• Instead of saying, “You need to take precautions,” try, “Where do we see ourselves in three years?” This shifts the focus from a chore to a shared vision.

The Importance of Joint Decision Making in Reproductive Health

When both partners participate in joint decision making in reproductive health, the relationship becomes stronger. It stops being a burden on the woman and becomes a shared project.

Think of it like buying a house. You wouldn’t let one person decide the location, price, and size while the other just signs the cheque, right? Family planning is even more critical.

• Financial Reality: Babies cost money. Discussing when you can afford a child is practical, not unromantic.
• Career Goals: If Riya wants that promotion in 2026, a baby in 2025 could complicate things. Kartik needs to know this to support her.

The Science of Healthy Spacing Between Pregnancies

One of the most crucial topics for a couple to discuss is timing. It isn’t just about “now or later”; it is about health. Doctors and international health bodies, like the World Health Organisation (WHO), strongly recommend healthy spacing between pregnancies. Your body needs time after pregnancy. So, it is always better to take a 2-year gap after delivery.

Why does this matter?

• Recovery: Your body needs time to replenish nutrients like calcium and iron after childbirth.
• Child’s Health: According to studies, children born close together are more likely to be born prematurely or with low birth weight.
• Economic Breath: Spacing gives the couple time to financially recover and save for the second child’s future.

This is where shared responsibility in family planning becomes actionable. It is the husband’s job to ensure his wife’s health is prioritised by supporting a reliable contraceptive method. However, it is high time to be financially independent as a woman nowadays so that you can control your own life and take your own decisions proudly.

Finding the Right Partner: Suvida vs Other Oral Contraceptive Brands

Once a couple decides to wait, the next question is: How?
The market is flooded with options. You have condoms, IUDs, and pills, for many young couples looking for reversibility and reliability, oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are the preferred option.

This is where Suvida, a trusted product from Eskag Pharma’s women’s health products, stands out. But how does it compare?

Suvida vs Other Oral Contraceptive Brands

Many couples get confused by the fancy packaging of expensive international brands. However, when you look at the label, the core science is often similar, but Suvida offers specific advantages for the Indian context:

1. The Iron Advantage: Many standard pills just give you 21 hormonal tablets and 7 “dummy” sugar pills for the gap week. Suvida provides 21 hormonal pills (Levonorgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol) and 7 Iron tablets (Ferrous Fumarate). Since anaemia is a massive issue for women in Bengal and across India, this built-in supplement is a thoughtful addition that expensive brands often miss.
2. Affordability: Suvida is priced economically, making it accessible without compromising on quality.
3. Regulated Cycles: Like other top-tier brands, Suvida helps regulate irregular periods, which is often a source of stress for women.

Have you shared the Responsibility for Family Planning?

So, Riya decides to go on the pill. Does Kartik’s job end there? Absolutely not.
Shared responsibility in family planning means being actively involved in the process:

1. The Reminder: Life gets busy. A supportive partner can set a shared alarm or gently ask, “Did you take your Suvida today?” not as a nag, but as a care-taker.
2. Managing Side Effects: If she feels a bit nauseous in the first week (which can happen with any OCP), he should be the one to make the ginger tea or run to the chemist.
3. Doctor Visits: Go to the gynaecologist together. It sends a powerful message that “we are in this together.”

Why Suvida believes in “Equal Partnership”?

Suvida is designed to be simple. The 28-pill pack (21+7) means there is no break in the habit. You take a pill every day. This simplicity makes it easier for couples to track.
By choosing a method like Suvida, you are ticking the boxes for joint decision making in reproductive health:

1. It is Reversible: If you decide you are ready for a baby, you stop the pill, and fertility returns quickly. You are in control.
2. It is Safe: Being an Eskag Pharma women’s health product, it comes with the assurance of quality manufacturing standards.
3. It empowers her: She doesn’t have to worry about an “accident” every month, allowing her to focus on her career and mental peace.

Conclusion: The New “Happily Ever After”

Let’s go back to Riya and Kartik. They finally had that talk. They sat down with tea, ignored the phone calls, and decided to wait three years before starting a family. They chose Suvida to help them stick to that plan.

The result? The tension in the house vanished. Riya took on a new project at work with confidence. Kartik invested in his business without the anxiety of looming expenses. They became a stronger team.

Building an equal partnership isn’t about grand gestures. It is about these small, honest conversations. It is about looking at family planning discussion for couples not as a taboo, but as a blueprint for a happier, healthier future.
So, turn to your partner today and ask: “What does our future look like?” “Have you thought of family planning?” “Are we ready to be parents now?” A healthy discussion is needed with your partner when it comes to family planning. We, the suvida team, encourage family planning discussion for couples so that they don’t face any kind of issues in future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do we start a family planning discussion without it being awkward?ANS: Instead of talking about pills or condoms immediately, talk about your life goals. Ask questions like, “Do we want to travel before having kids?” or ” Ideally, when would we be financially ready for a baby?” Once you agree on the timeline, discussing the method becomes much easier.

2. Why is ‘healthy spacing between pregnancies’ recommended?
ANS: Doctors recommend a gap of at least 2 years between giving birth and getting pregnant again. This allows the mother’s body to recover physically (replenishing iron and calcium stores) and reduces the risk of premature birth or low birth weight for the second child.

3. What is the main difference between Suvida and other oral contraceptive brands?
ANS: The biggest difference is the inclusion of Iron. While many brands offer placebo (sugar) pills for the last 7 days of the cycle, Suvida includes 7 Ferrous Fumarate (Iron) tablets. This helps support Indian women who may be prone to anaemia, adding a health benefit beyond just birth control.

4. Is Suvida safe for long-term use?
ANS: Yes, Suvida is a low-dose hormonal contraceptive pill that is generally safe for long-term use for most healthy women. However, it is always best to consult a doctor before starting any hormonal medication, especially if you have a history of high blood pressure or clotting issues.

5. How can men take part in shared responsibility in family planning?
ANS: Men can be active partners by attending doctor appointments, helping track the pill schedule, buying the contraceptives so the burden isn’t solely on the woman, and being understanding about any temporary side effects like mood swings or nausea.

6. Does Suvida affect future fertility?
ANS: No. One of the benefits of oral contraceptive pills like Suvida is that they are fully reversible. Once you stop taking the pill, the hormones leave your system quickly, and your natural fertility usually returns within a few weeks to a couple of months.

7. Are Eskag Pharma women’s health products reliable?
ANS: Yes, Eskag Pharma is a reputed name in the pharmaceutical industry with a strong focus on women’s healthcare and gynaecology. Their products, including Suvida, undergo strict quality checks to ensure safety and efficacy for Indian women.