Determinants of emergency contraception non-use among women in unplanned or ambivalent pregnancies

Objective To analyze the determinants of emergency contraception non-use among women in unplanned and ambivalent pregnancies. Method Cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample of 366 pregnant women from 12 primary health care units in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A multinomial logistic regression was performed, comparing three groups: women who used emergency contraception to prevent ongoing pregnancies (reference); women who made no use of emergency contraception, but used other contraceptive methods; and women who made no use of any contraceptive methods at all. Results Cohabitation with a partner was the common determinant of emergency contraception non-use. No pregnancy risk awareness, ambivalent pregnancies and no previous use of emergency contraception also contributed to emergency contraception non-use. Conclusion Apart from what is pointed out in the literature, knowledge of emergency contraception and the fertile period were not associated to its use

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy in Brazilian Portuguese

Background: Estimates of unplanned pregnancy worldwide are of concern, especially in low and middle-income countries, including Brazil. Although the contraceptive prevalence rate is high in Brazil, almost half of all pregnancies are reported as unintended. The only source of nationally representative data about pregnancy intention is the Demographic and Health Survey, as with many other countries. In more recent years, however, it has been realized that concept of unintended pregnancy is potentially more complex and requires more sophisticated measurement strategies, such as the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP). The LMUP has been translated and validated in other languages, but not Portuguese yet. In this study, we evaluate the psychometric properties of the LMUP in the Portuguese language, Brazilian version. Methods: A Brazilian Portuguese version of the LMUP was produced via translation and back-translation. After piloting, the mode of administration was changed from self-completion to interviewer-administration. The measure was field tested with pregnant, postpartum, and postabortion women recruited at maternity and primary health care services in Sao Paulo city. Reliability (internal consistency) was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and item-total correlations. Construct validity was assessed using principal components analysis and hypothesis testing. Scaling was assessed with Mokken analysis. Results: 759 women aged 15–44 completed the Brazilian Portuguese LMUP. There were no missing data. The measure was acceptable and well targeted. Reliability testing demonstrated good internal consistency (alpha = 0.81, all item-rest correlations >0.2). Validity testing confirmed that the measure was unidimensional and that all hypotheses were met: there were lower LMUP median scores among women in the extreme age groups (p<0.001), among non-married women (p<0.001) and those with lower educational attainment (p<0.001). The Loevinger H coefficient was 0.60, indicating a strong scale. Conclusion: The Brazilian Portuguese LMUP is a valid and reliable measure of pregnancy planning/intention that is now available for use in Brazil. It represents a useful addition to the public health research and surveillance toolkit in Brazil

Post-abortion contraception: care and practices

OBJECTIVE: to analyze assistance regarding contraception methods received by women during hospitalization due to abortion, and contraceptive practices the month after this episode.METHODS: a longitudinal study of women hospitalized due to abortion in a public hospital in the city of São Paulo. Face-to-face interviews (n=170) followed by telephone interviews in the subsequent month (n=147) were conducted between May and December of 2011.RESULTS: a small number of women reported they received guidance on, and prescription for, contraceptive methods at hospital discharge. A trend of statistical significance was identified for prescription of contraceptive methods at discharge and its use in the following month, when adjusted for age. Most women reported sexual intercourse (69.4%) with the use of contraceptive method (82.4%), but no health professional guidance (63.1%).CONCLUSION: despite the fact that post-abortion contraception assistance was lower than the recommended guidelines by public health policies, women demonstrated willingness to use contraceptive methods

A vivência da sexualidade por adolescentes portadoras de deficiência visual

Devido às transformações ocorridas na adolescência, as indefinições que a acompanham, somadas à deficiência visual, justifica-se um estudo sobre a vivência da sexualidade das adolescentes portadoras de deficiência visual inseridas na sociedade e na comunidade escolar. Foram entrevistadas cinco adolescentes em um Centro de Apoio Pedagógico, com questões que buscaram o conhecimento e a compreensão sobre as causa da sua deficiência visual, composição e orientações familiares, experiência afetivo-sexual e o nível de conhecimento acerca de assuntos relacionados à sexualidade, dentre eles métodos contraceptivos e doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. Os resultados mostram que estas adolescentes apresentam as mesmas características de desenvolvimento da sexualidade da sua faixa etária, embora possuam características individuais. Percebeu-se o desconhecimento sobre métodos contraceptivos e doenças sexualmente transmissíveis com informações superficiais. Torna-se imprescindível que o conhecimento se faça de forma acessível para esta população.En razón de las transformaciones sufridas durante la adolescencia, las indefiniciones que a acompañan, sumándose la deficiencia visual, se justifica un estudio sobre la experiencia de la sexualidad de las adolescentes afectadas por deficiencia visual insertas en la sociedad y en la comunidad escolar. Fueron entrevistadas cinco adolescentes en un Centro de Apoyo Pedagógico con preguntas que buscaron el conocimiento y comprensión de la causa de su deficiencia visual, composición y orientaciones familiares, experiencia afectivo-sexual, nivel de conocimientos acerca de asuntos relacionados con la sexualidad, sin excluir métodos anticonceptivos y enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Los resultados muestran que estas adolescentes presentan las mismas características de desarrollo de la sexualidad de su faja etaria, sin embargo poseen características particulares. Se percibió el desconocimiento respecto de métodos anticonceptivos y enfermedades de transmisión sexual, temas acerca de los cuales estaban superficialmente informadas. Es imprescindible que el conocimiento se transmita de modo accesible para esta población.The combination between transformations in adolescence, the indefiniteness they are accompanied by and the visual impairment justifies a study about the sexual experience of female, visually impaired adolescents included in society and in the school community. Five adolescents were interviewed at a Pedagogical Support Center. Questions attempted to find out their knowledge and understanding about the cause of their visual impairment, family composition and orientations, affective-sexual experience, level of knowledge about sexuality-related issues, including contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases. Results revealed that these adolescents display the same sexuality development characteristics of their age group, though they have particular characteristics. It was observed there is a lack of knowledge regarding contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases, of which the adolescents have superficial information. Making knowledge on the referred issues accessible to this population is indispensible