Madurai (PTI): The Tamil Nadu Government has planned to popularise a new version of Coper-T, an intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD), to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

IUCD was better than the surgical procedures of tubectomy and vasectomy as there were limitations in reversing the latter for people who wanted to have children, state Principal Health Secretary V K Subburaj said here on Sunday.

Inaugrating a sensitisation worshop on alternative training methodology in IUCD here, he urged doctors and nurses to create awareness about the same.

According to reports, among the temporary contracptive measures such as pill, the new version of IUCD, Copper T-380A, had no side effects on women, he was quoted as saying in an official release.

Director of Health S.Elango said Copper T-380A was "an ideal and cost effective contraceptive device for spacing children."