Necessidade insatisfeita por métodos anticoncepcionais no Brasil

Demand and unmet need for modern contraception among mothers from a Pelotas Birth Cohort

OBJECTIVE

To determine the total demand and unmet need for contraception with modern methods and their determinants among mothers participating in the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort.

METHODS

Data from the 48-month follow-up of mothers participating in the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort were analyzed. Only biological mothers (aged up to 49 years) of children belonging to the 2015 Birth Cohort and who answered the 48-month questionnaire were included in the study sample. Logistic regression and respective 95% confidence intervals were used to determine associated factors.

RESULTS

The study sample consisted of 3577 biological mothers. The prevalence of use of any contraceptive and of modern contraceptives was 86.0% (95%CI: 84.8-87.1) and 84.9% (95%CI: 83.7-86.1), respectively. The prevalence of unmet need for modern contraceptives was 10.7% (95%CI: 9.7-11.7), and the total demand for contraceptives was 95.6%. The factors associated with an unmet need for modern contraception were being over 34 years of age (OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.5-0.8), not having a husband or partner (OR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.4-2.6), not being the head of the household (OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.4-0.9), having had three or more pregnancies (OR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.3-2.6), and having had an abortion at least once after the birth of the child participating in the cohort (OR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.0-3.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the high prevalence of modern contraceptive use, one in ten women had an unmet need for modern contraception and was at risk of unplanned pregnancy.

Requests for medication abortion support in Brazil during and after the Zika epidemic

Brazil declared a public health emergency during the Zika virus epidemic, recommending avoiding pregnancy. This study analyses requests received by Women Help Women for information about and support for self-managed medication abortion (MA) in Brazil during and after the Zika epidemic to understand how Zika may have impacted requests to the service. This analysis considered 20,609 requests for MA support received between January 2016 and June 2017. Reasons for seeking an abortion were analysed alongside geographic trends in the percent and rate of requests citing Zika as a reason for seeking abortion. The average number of daily requests for MA support increased from 31 in January 2016 to 48 in June 2017. The average percent of daily requests citing Zika as a reason for seeking an abortion decreased from 15% in March 2016 to 1.5% by June 2017. The most common reason for abortion seeking during and after the Zika epidemic was not being prepared for a child or not wanting any or additional children (between 52%-59% of requests). As the Zika epidemic slowed, MA requests citing Zika as a reason decreased, while requests increased overall. Few people cited Zika alone as a reason for abortion seeking, necessitating a broad contextualisation of abortion access in people's daily lived experiences and realities.

Demand for contraception in Brazil in 2006: contribution to the implementation of fertility preferences

This study aimed to estimate the demand for contraception in Brazil from the latest available data and identify possible associations between the sociodemographic and economic characteristics of women and the occurrence of this phenomenon. For this, we used data from the National Demographic and Health of Women and Children (PNDS) 2006 database and the estimation method reviewed by Bradley et al. (2012). Despite the high percentage of contraceptive use in Brazil, there was an estimated unmet fertility planning need in 8.3% of married/partnered women aged 15-49 years. That is, there was a specific group of women (at the beginning and end of their reproductive life, in the lower economic strata, evangelical and without religion) who wanted to have more children or have them later and failed to do so due to a lack of access to fertility regulation means. It was concluded that there was a negligible reduction in demand compared to 1996, which has reinforced the need to focus public investments to achieve lower unmet contraception demand differentials in the country and has guaranteed the implementation of the rights of reproductive preferences.

Use of and access to oral and injectable contraceptives in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the prevalence of current use of oral and injectable contraceptives by Brazilian women, according to demographic and socioeconomic variables and issues related to access to those medicines.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, population-based analytical study with probability sampling based on data from the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos (PNAUM - National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines), carried out between September 2013 and February 2014 in 20,404 Brazilian urban households. Prevalence was calculated based on reports from non-pregnant women aged 15-49 on the use of oral or injectable contraceptives. The independent variables were gender, age, level of education, socioeconomic class, Brazilian region and marital status. Also analyzed were access, means of payment, sources, and reported medicines. Statistical analyses considered 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) and Pearson Chi-square test to evaluate the statistical significance of differences between groups, considering a 5% significance level.

RESULTS

Prevalence of use was 28.2% for oral contraceptives (OC) and 4.5% for injectable contraceptives (IC). The highest prevalence of oral contraceptives was in the South region (37.5%) and the lowest in the North region (15.7%). For injectable contraceptives there was no difference between regions. Access was higher for oral contraceptive users (90.7%) than injectable contraceptives users (81.2%), as was direct payment (OC 78.1%, IC 58.0%). Users who paid for contraceptives acquired them at retail pharmacies (OC 95.0% and IC 86.6%) and at Farmácia Popular (Popular Pharmacy Program) (OC 4.8% and IC 12.7%). Free of charge contraceptives were mostly obtained from the Brazilian Unified Health System - SUS (OC 86.7%; IC 96.0%). Free samples were reported by 10.4% of users who did not pay for oral contraceptives. Most of paying users did not try to obtain contraceptives from SUS. Monophasic combined oral contraceptives were the most frequently reported (71.6%) and low-level levonorgestrel + ethinylestradiol combination accounted for 38.7% of them. The most frequently reported medicines are included in the Relação Nacional de Medicamentos Essenciais (RENAME - National List of Essential Medicines.

CONCLUSIONS

Most women aged 15 to 49 who reported using contraceptives had access to the medicine and use monophasic combined oral contraceptives of appropriate efficiency and safety purchased by direct payment, mainly from retail pharmacies.

OBJETIVO

Analisar a prevalência do uso atual de contraceptivos orais e injetáveis por mulheres brasileiras, segundo variáveis demográficas, socioeconômicas e aspectos relacionados ao acesso a esses medicamentos.

MÉTODOS

Estudo transversal, analítico, baseado nos dados da Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos (PNAUM), de base populacional e amostra probabilística, realizada entre setembro/2013 e fevereiro/2014, em 20.404 domicílios urbanos brasileiros. A prevalência foi calculada a partir do relato das mulheres de 15 a 49 anos, não grávidas, sobre o uso de contraceptivos orais ou contraceptivos injetáveis. As variáveis independentes foram sexo, idade, escolaridade, nível socioeconômico, região geográfica e situação conjugal. Também foram analisados acesso, fontes de financiamento, fontes de obtenção e medicamentos citados. As análises estatísticas consideraram intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%) e teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson para avaliação da significância estatística das diferenças entre os grupos, considerando o nível de significância de 5%.

RESULTADOS

A prevalência de uso de contraceptivos orais (CO) foi 28,2% e de contraceptivos injetáveis (CI), 4,5%. A prevalência de contraceptivos orais foi maior no Sul (37,5%) e menor no Norte (15,7%). Para contraceptivos injetáveis não houve diferença entre as regiões. O acesso foi maior para as usuárias de contraceptivos orais (90,7%) do que de contraceptivos injetáveis (81,2%), assim como o pagamento por desembolso direto (CO 78,1%; CI 58,0%). As usuárias que pagaram pelo contraceptivo compraram na farmácia comercial (CO 95,0% e CI 86,6%) e na Farmácia Popular (CO 4,8% e CI 12,7%). A principal fonte de obtenção gratuita foi o SUS (CO 86,7%; CI 96,0%). Amostra grátis foi citada por 10,4% das usuárias que não pagaram pelos contraceptivos orais. A maioria das usuárias que pagaram, não tentou obter no SUS. Contraceptivos orais combinados monofásico foram os mais citados (71,6%) e a combinação levonorgestrel+etinilestradiol de baixa concentração representou 38,7% destes. Os medicamentos mais citados constam na Relação Nacional de medicamentos Essenciais.

CONCLUSÕES

A maioria das mulheres entre 15 e 49 anos que referiram usar contraceptivos obteve acesso ao medicamento, usa contraceptivos orais combinados monofásico, de eficácia e segurança adequada, obtido com pagamento do próprio bolso, principalmente, nas farmácias comerciais.

Intenções reprodutivas de mulheres que vivenciam regime de alta fecundidade em um grande centro urbano

Neste estudo quantitativo e de base populacional objetivou-se identificar as intenções reprodutivas de mulheres com cinco ou mais filhos, residentes em Curitiba, Paraná. Foram entrevistadas 441 mulheres em seus domicílios entre os anos de 2006 a 2008. Calcularam-se frequências, e o teste t de Student e o coeficiente de Spearman para algumas variáveis. Para análise das perguntas abertas utilizou-se a análise de conteúdo e se elaboraram tabelas com as categorias e as respectivas frequências. O estudo revelou que para 51% das mulheres o número ideal de filhos seria dois; 10% tiveram o número de filhos que desejavam. Em 113 casos (40,4%) o marido preferia ter um número maior de filhos do que as mulheres. Identificaram-se dificuldades na definição e na conquista da fecundidade desejada, falhas na assistência à saúde reprodutiva e desigualdades sociais e de gênero. O monitoramento pelos gestores de saúde dos diferenciais de fecundidade é necessário para o alcance da justiça social e a garantia dos direitos humanos, sexuais e reprodutivos, no Brasil.

Impact of standardized information provided by gynecologists on women's choice of combined hormonal contraception

This prospective interventional study was designed to determine the impact of providing standardized information on different methods of combined hormonal contraception on women's selection of which method to use. A total of 952 Brazilian gynecologists were randomly selected. Each gynecologist recruited 15 consecutive patients for whom combined hormonal contraception was indicated. Each patient was asked which contraceptive method she would prefer (pill, patch, vaginal ring or injectable) before and after receiving a standardized explanation on each of these methods provided by her doctor. A total of 9507 women were included in the study. Prior to counseling, 66.5% of the women stated that they would prefer the pill, 17.9% the injectable, 8.9% the patch and 6.7% the vaginal ring. After counseling, 53.7% of the women stated that they would prefer the pill, 16.3% the injectable, 14% the patch and 16% the ring. In conclusion, the combined pill remains the most popular contraceptive method among Brazilian women; however, after receiving information on the various contraceptive methods available, the proportion of women choosing the vaginal ring or patch increased, while preference for the combined pill decreased.