Control of population by adoption of suitable methods of contraception is a necessity in order to make the country prosperous. However, the measures available for fertility regulation are not absolutely fool-proof, totally safer or easy to comply. Therefore, there is an urgent need for development of newer user friendly methods of contraception for male as well as female.

The CDRI has been pursuing a major programme for development of effective and safer antifertility agents. The Institute's programme in this area of high national priority is directed towards the development of simpler and safer agents/methods for contraception, evaluation of traditional remedies for antifertility activity, elucidation of mechanism of action of antifertility agents and basic studies on male and female reproductive biology to help find better means of fertility regulation.

Amongst the various approaches to contraception, intervention through chemo-pharmacological targets is considered to be the most convenient and widely accepted method of fertility regulation. CDRI undertook a project for the development of an antifertility agents for use by men and women as early as in 1957. In fact, the first school of research on physiology of reproduction in the country had then started at CDRI. Significant developments made under this project are as follows:
(i) Centchroman, the first nonsteroidal oral contraceptive (Marketed).

(ii) Isaptent, a device for cervical dilatation required for medical termination of pregnancy (Marketed).

(iii) Consap cream, a spermicidal cream for post-coital use (ready for marketing).

(iv) Novel lead molecules which have shown spermicidal activity along with anti-HIV property.