Contraceptive switch and abandonment among women using the pill, condoms and injectables in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to assess the covariates of contraceptive switching and abandonment among Brazilian women stratified by oral pills, condoms and injectables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women attending primary health care services in three Brazilian mid- to large-sized cities were interviewed face-to-face about their contraceptive practices (n = 2,051). Data were collected using a contraceptive calendar. Analysis included estimates using Kaplan-Meier multiple-decrement life-table probabilities and discrete-time hazards modelling of switching from a method to another or to no method. RESULTS: Among 3,280 segments of contraceptive use, we observed that five-year contraceptive switching rates ranged from 34.9% among injectable users to 56.1% among pill users. Of particular concern were the high discontinuation rates of abandonment, which ranged from 50.9% among injectable users to 77.4% among pill users. Covariates of method switching and abandonment varied by type of method, but age, race/ethnicity, religion and relationship status must be highlighted as key elements of discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Contraceptive method switching and abandoning are frequent outcomes of contraceptive use. Understanding the factors that shape women's decisions to continue or discontinue the use of a contraceptive method can help tailoring comprehensive contraceptive counselling that meet their expectations and reproductive needs when starting using a method.

Contraceptive discontinuation among women in need of contraception may difficult the achievement of their fertility desires, which can lead to unintended pregnancies.

Individual and context correlates of the oral pill and condom use among Brazilian female adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Studies have examined the impact of contextual factors on the use of contraceptives among adolescents and found that many measures of income and social inequality are associated with contraceptive use. However, few have focused on maternal and primary health indicators and its influence on adolescent contraceptive use. This paper assesses whether maternal mortality rates, antenatal care visits, and primary healthcare coverage are associated with pill and condom use among female adolescents in Brazil. METHODS: We used data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a national, school-based cross-sectional study conducted in Brazil. A subsample of all female adolescents who had ever had sexual intercourse and were living in one of the 26 State capitals and the Federal District was selected (n = 7415). Multilevel mixed effects logistic regression models were estimated to examine the effect of contextual variables on pill and condom use. RESULTS: Sixty-five percent of female adolescents reported using pill while 21.9% reported using condom during the last sexual intercourse. Adolescents living in municipalities with low maternal mortality and high antenatal care coverage were significantly more likely to use pill during the last sexual intercourse compared to those from municipalities with high maternal mortality and low antenatal care coverage. Primary healthcare coverage (proportion of the population covered by primary healthcare teams) was not significantly associated with either condom or pill use during the last sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that promoting the use of pill among female adolescents may require approaches to strengthen healthcare systems rather than those focused solely on individual attributes.

Contraceptive discontinuation: frequency and associated factors among undergraduate women in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, high contraceptive prevalence rates coexist with high rates of unintended pregnancies. Contraceptive discontinuation may explain this context, but few studies have focused on highly educated young women in countries with low unmet need for modern contraception. This paper explores frequency and associated factors of contraceptive discontinuation among undergraduate students in Brazil within 12-months. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted among a probability sample of 1679 undergraduates of São Paulo University. Data were collected online using a contraceptive calendar. We examined factors related to monthly discontinuation of oral pills and male condoms using Generalized Estimating Equation models. RESULTS: Altogether, 19% of oral pill users and 48% of male condom users discontinued their method for method-related reasons within 12-months, and 18% of oral pill users and 15% of male condom users abandoned/or switched to less effective methods. Women in casual relationships were at increased odds of oral pill (OR = 1.4 [1.1-1.8]) and male condom discontinuation (OR = 1.3 [1.0-1.7]), and at increased odds of switching from oral pill to less effective or no method (OR = 1.4 [1.1-1.7]). Other associated factors were method specific. Women from lower socioeconomic status or who had multiple lifetime partners were more likely to discontinue or abandon the oral pill, while more sexually experienced women were less likely to discontinue the male condom. CONCLUSION: Frequent method discontinuation in Brazil calls for greater attention to the difficulties women face when using short acting methods. Discontinuation was associated with type of partner and sexual experience highlighting the changing contraceptive needs of women at the early stages of their professional careers.

Contraceptive patterns after use of emergency contraception among female undergraduate students in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to describe contraceptive patterns 30 days after use of emergency contraception (EC) among female undergraduate students in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: This study was part of a larger project conducted in 2015 among 1679 female students aged 18-24 enrolled at the University of São Paulo. Analysis was restricted to the 916 students who reported lifetime use of EC. Logistic regression models were used to examine factors related to the use of contraception within the 30 day period following the last use of EC, changes in contraceptive behaviour before and after EC use, and gaps in contraceptive use within 30 days after EC use. RESULTS: Most women (75.4%) used contraception after accessing EC; 92.9% who used contraception prior to EC exposure resumed use of contraception afterwards, compared with 40.7% who did not use contraception prior to EC exposure. Only 6.3% of women switched to a less effective contraceptive method after EC use. Few women (7.5%) reported post-EC gaps in contraception. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that EC may serve as a potential precursor to regular contraception among undergraduates in Brazil, with few women reporting contraceptive gaps after EC use. These patterns may contribute to reducing the risk of unintended pregnancy in this population.

Organizational barriers to the availability and insertion of intrauterine devices in Primary Health Care Services. / Barreiras organizacionais para disponibilização e inserção do dispositivo intrauterino nos serviços de atenção básica à saúde.

OBJECTIVE: To identify organizational barriers to IUD availability in Primary Health Care services from the perspective of women's health coordinators. METHOD: This is a quantitative study carried out with women's health officials from the municipalities of the southern macro region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with an on-line completion of a structured instrument and a descriptive data analysis. RESULTS: 79 technicians participated in the study. Among the municipalities, 15.2% do not provide IUDs and 8.3% do not refer women to other services, 53.7% do not provide IUDs at basic health units. Among those who provide the IUD, 68.7% do not have a specific protocol and 10.5% do not adopt pregnancy as a condition that makes it impossible to insert the IUD, and 80.6% adopt unnecessary conditions, such as vaginal infection. As a criterion for IUD access, 86.5% referred to a medical prescription, 71.6% required exams, 44.6% were over 18 years of age and 24.4% participation in groups, none based on scientific evidence. Only the doctor inserted the IUD. CONCLUSION: Problems in the access to the IUD were identified due to organizational barriers to its availability and insertion, such as the lack of availability of the method or the excess of unnecessary criteria to make it available.

Fertility rates among very young adolescent women: temporal and spatial trends in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: We assessed whether the reported decrease in fertility rates among 15 to 19 years old Brazilian adolescents has met with a parallel decrease in very young adolescent (10 to 14 years old) fertility rates. So we explored temporal trends for fertility rates among very young adolescents between 2000 and 2012 for Brazil as a whole, its regions and states; and also analyzed the spatial distribution of fertility rates among Brazilian municipalities in the years 2000 and 2012. METHODS: We used data from the Information System on Live Births to calculate the rates. To examine the temporal trends, we used linear regression for time series with Prais-Winsten estimation, including the annual percentage change, for the country, regions, and states. To analyze the spatial distribution among Brazilian municipalities, we calculated the Global Moran Index and created a local Moran significance and cluster map through Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA). We also elaborated a thematic map with the rates using empirical Bayesian estimation. RESULTS: Brazilian very young adolescent fertility rates remained high and stable throughout the 2000 to 2012 period, and significantly decreased in three out of 26 states, and in the federal district. On the other hand, an increase was observed in two Northern and Northeastern states. The rates were spatially dependent in Brazilian municipalities (Moran Index = 0.22 in 2012; p = 0.05). The maps indicated a heterogeneous distribution of the rates, with high-rate clusters predominant in the North and low-rate clusters predominant in the South, Southeast, and Midwest. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that Brazilian very young adolescent fertility rates have not decreased in parallel with adolescent fertility rates as they remain high and did not decrease from 2000 and 2012, even though a few states presented a decrease. Thus, these phenomena probably have distinct underlying causes that warrant further elucidation. Progress in this field is crucial for the development of specific policies and programs focused on very young adolescents.

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.

Brazilian Maternal Weight Perception and Satisfaction With Toddler Body Size: A Study in Primary Health Care.

UNLABELLED: Maternal perception and satisfaction with child's weight status are important to detect early and to successfully treat the extremes in weight, especially during early childhood, when the child is more dependent on maternal care. OBJECTIVES: To assess the inaccuracy of maternal perception of toddler body size and its associated factors and to analyze maternal dissatisfaction with toddler body size. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 135 mother-toddler dyads attending Primary Health Care Facilities, São Paulo, Brazil. Children's actual weight status was classified using body mass index-for-age. Inaccuracy and dissatisfaction were assessed using an image scale. We used logistic regression to identify the factors associated with inaccuracy of maternal perception of toddler body size. RESULTS: Inaccuracy in maternal perception was observed in 34.8% of participants. Mothers of excessive weight children were more likely to have inaccurate perceptions (OR=4.6; 95% CI 2.0-10.7), and mothers of children who attended well-child care were less likely to have inaccurate perceptions (OR=0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.9). More than half of mothers (52.6%) were dissatisfied with their toddler's size and desired a larger child (75.0% of mothers of underweight children, 25.0% of mothers whose children were at risk for overweight and 23.0% of mothers of overweight children). CONCLUSION: The majority of mothers were inaccurate in their perception and was dissatisfied with their toddler's body size. Maternal inaccuracy and dissatisfaction differed by the weight status of the toddler. Attendance at well-child visits was an effective way to decrease maternal inaccuracy, which reinforces the importance of the influence of health professionals.

Access to Contraceptives in Countries With Restrictive Abortion Laws: The Case of Brazil.

We aimed to determine whether current contraceptive use is affected by a history of abortion for women from a country with abortion-restricted laws. This is an analysis of 2006 Brazil Demographic and Health Survey. Nonpregnant women whose first pregnancy occurred in the previous 5 years were selected for this study (n = 2,181). We used propensity score matching to compare current contraceptive use among women with induced or spontaneous abortion and women with no abortion. We found differences in the use, but women with a history of abortion did not report more effective contraceptive than women with no abortion, as we expected.

Preconception health behaviors associated with pregnancy planning status among Brazilian women.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess preconception health behaviors among Brazilian women, and analyze the effect of pregnancy planning status in carrying out preconception measures. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional quantitative study conducted with 807 women, of whom 649 had a planned or ambivalent pregnancy. Preconception health behaviors were assessed by the Brazilian version of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy. RESULTS: Preconception health behaviors were performed by only 15.9% of women. Among those who planned their pregnancy, less than half completed a health measure (47.0%); the most common was seeking medical assistance and improving the diet. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a strong association between the preconception health behaviors and a planned pregnancy (adjusted OR = 16.77; 95% CI: 9.47-29.81). Age over 30 years, paid work, and the time interval between menarche and first sexual intercourse were also associated with completing preconception measures. CONCLUSION: The low frequency of preconception health measures, even among women who planned their pregnancy, indicates the urgency of including preconception care on the agenda of public health policies in Brazil. OBJETIVO: Mensurar a realização do preparo pré-concepcional, descrever as medidas adotadas como preparo pré-concepcional e analisar o efeito do planejamento da gravidez na realização do preparo pré-concepcional. MÉTODO: Estudo quantitativo, do tipo transversal, conduzido com 807 mulheres, das quais 649 tinham gravidez planejada ou ambivalente. O preparo pré-concepcional foi mensurado a partir do London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy , versão Brasil. RESULTADOS: O preparo pré-concepcional foi realizado por apenas 15,9% das mulheres. Dentre as que planejaram a gravidez, menos da metade realizou algum preparo (47,0%), sendo os mais frequentes ter procurado assistência médica e mudanças na alimentação. Análise de regressão logística múltipla mostrou forte associação entre a realização do preparo pré-concepcional e o planejamento da gravidez (ORajustado=16,77; IC95% 9,47-29,81). A idade acima de 30 anos, o trabalho remunerado e o intervalo de tempo entre a menarca e a primeira relação sexual também estiveram associados à realização do preparo pré-concepcional. CONCLUSÃO: A baixa frequência de realização de preparo pré-concepcional, mesmo entre mulheres com gravidez planejada, indica a urgência de se incluir o cuidado pré-concepcional na agenda de políticas públicas de saúde.

Maternal perception of their child's nutritional status at less than three years old.

OBJECTIVE: Assessing maternal perception of their children's nutritional status and identifying associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted in a small municipality with 342 children less than 3 years of age treated in Basic Health Units of São Paulo. Nutritional status was classified in percentiles of body mass index for age and maternal perception was assessed using the scale of verbal descriptors (very thin, thin, healthy weight, fat, very fat). Logistic regression was used to identify the associatedfactors. RESULTS: 44.7% of maternal perception was found to beinadequate. Mothers of overweight (OR = 11.8, 95% CI: 6.4-21.7) and underweight (OR = 5.5; 95% CI: 1.9-16.2) children had a higher chance of having inadequate perception, similar to mothers of children over 24 months of age (OR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.4-6.0). CONCLUSION: For effective child care in primary care, healthcare professionals should consider maternal perception and helpmothers to identify the nutritional status of children in childcare consultations and growth monitoring. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a percepção materna do estado nutricional do filho e identificar os fatores associados. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal realizado em município de pequeno porte com 342 crianças menores de 3anos atendidas em Unidades Básicas de Saúde do Estado de São Paulo. O estado nutricional foi classificado em percentis do Índice de Massa Corporalpara Idade e a percepção materna foi avaliada com escala de descritores verbais (muito magro, magro, peso adequado, gordo, muito gordo). Utilizou-se de regressão logística para identificar os fatores associados. RESULTADOS: Constatou-se 44,7% de percepção materna inadequada. Mães de crianças com excesso de peso (OR=11,8; IC95%:6,4-21,7) e com baixo peso (OR=5,5; IC95%:1,9-16,2) apresentaram mais chance de percepção inadequada, da mesma forma que mães de crianças com mais de 24 meses de idade (OR=2,9; IC95%:1,4-6,0). CONCLUSÃO: Para uma efetiva assistência à criança na atenção básica, profissionais de saúde devem considerar a percepção materna e auxiliar as mães na identificação do estado nutricional do filho nas consultas de puericultura e acompanhamento do crescimento.

Contraceptive use following spontaneous and induced abortion and its association with family planning services in primary health care: results from a Brazilian longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Although it is well known that post-abortion contraceptive use is high when family planning services are provided following spontaneous or induced abortions, this relationship remains unclear in Brazil and similar settings with restrictive abortion laws. Our study aims to assess whether contraceptive use is associated with access to family planning services in the six-month period post-abortion, in a setting where laws towards abortion are highly restrictive. METHODS: This prospective cohort study recruited 147 women hospitalized for emergency treatment following spontaneous or induced abortion in Brazil. These women were then followed up for six months (761 observations). Women responded to monthly telephone interviews about contraceptive use and the utilization of family planning services (measured by the utilization of medical consultation and receipt of contraceptive counseling). Generalized Estimating Equations were used to analyze the effect of family planning services and other covariates on contraceptive use over the six-month period post-abortion. RESULTS: Women who reported utilization of both medical consultation and contraceptive counseling in the same month had higher odds of reporting contraceptive use during the six-month period post-abortion, when compared with those who did not use these family planning services [adjusted aOR = 1.93, 95 % Confidence Interval: 1.13-3.30]. Accessing either service alone did not contribute to contraceptive use. Age (25-34 vs. 15-24 years) was also statistically associated with contraceptive use. Pregnancy planning status, desire to have more children and education did not contribute to contraceptive use. CONCLUSIONS: In restrictive abortion settings, family planning services offered in the six-month post-abortion period contribute to contraceptive use, if not restricted to simple counseling. Medical consultation, in the absence of contraceptive counseling, makes no difference. Immediate initiation of a contraceptive that suits women's pregnancy intention following an abortion is recommended, as well as a wide range of contraceptive methods, including long-acting reversible methods, even in restrictive abortion laws contexts.

Self-esteem of adult women living in a peripheral area of São Paolo city, Brazil.

Our purpose was to determine the level of self-esteem (SE) and its associations with women's sociodemographic characteristics and social status. Adult women (N = 120) living in a peripheral area of Sao Paulo City in Southeastern Brazil were randomly included in our study. We found significant associations between higher SE scores and higher schooling (p =.02), participation in religious meetings in the church (p =.022), and practice of leisure activities (p <.001). The inclusion of a broader range of activities should be provided in health care and educational settings aiming at the improvement of women's SE levels.

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.

Training in preconception care focused on primary health care providers: Effects on preconception care knowledge and provision.

Objective: To assess the effect of a rapid training intervention on the knowledge of health providers and the provision of preconception care in primary health care services. Methods: Randomized community trial in eight primary health care facilities (four were randomly allocated to the intervention group and four to the control group) in 2020 in Brazil. The intervention consisted of rapid training in preconception health for all health providers in the intervention group. Health providers who had medicine and nursing backgrounds answered structured questionnaires about their knowledge and practices of preconception health-related topics, and reproductive-age women attending the services completed a questionnaire about their experience with preconception care in pre- and postintervention (three months after the intervention) periods. Findings: The level of knowledge among health providers increased after the intervention, but providing information about preconception care and prescribing folic acid showed no significant change, with the exception of screening for future pregnancy intention. Key conclusions and implications for practice: Although the knowledge of health providers on preconception care is a fundamental requirement for its provision in primary health care settings, rapid training focused on preconception health topics was not sufficient to change their practices, with the exception of pregnancy intention screening, which experienced a slight increase after the training. It appears that additional elements, such as the reorganization of primary health care services to prioritize non-pregnant women, the development and implementation of specific guidelines, along with strategies for the dissemination of preconception care awareness, may also play crucial roles for full preconception care implementation in addition to health providers' knowledge of such issues.

Changes in contraceptive use during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Brazil: A web-based survey.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed contraceptive use changes during the second lockdown due to COVID-19 in Brazil and their associated factors. STUDY DESIGN: This was a longitudinal web-based study in which 725 non-pregnant Brazilian women aged 18 to 49 completed an online structured survey about their contraceptive practices in two rounds in 2021. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with contraceptive use changes during COVID-19. RESULTS: Sixty percent reported they changed their contraceptive use during COVID-19, especially starting to use a method or switching to a more effective one (32%). In adjusted analysis, women who were ambivalent about a future pregnancy were more likely to switch to a more effective method (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.33, 95% CI 1.42-3.83) and to stop using contraceptive (aOR 3.64, 95% CI 1.91-6.91). Women with a partner were less likely to switch to a more effective method (aOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.39-0.93) and to stop using contraceptive (aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.31-0.93), but more likely to switch to a less effective method (aOR 2.25, 95% CI 1.16-4.34). Age was also associated with contraceptive use changes. CONCLUSIONS: Contraceptive use among Brazilian women during COVID-19 depended on their age and partnership status. During the period of the highest peak in the number of cases and deaths in the country, ambivalence towards a future pregnancy increased changes in contraceptive use. IMPLICATIONS: Contraceptive changes were observed during a two-wave web-survey in Brazil depending on women's age and partnership status. Ambivalence towards a future pregnancy increased changes in contraceptive use and should be considered in future studies regarding sexual and reproductive health and COVID-19 as well as in family planning program implementation.

Outcomes of Intrauterine Device Insertion by Certified Midwives and Obstetric Nurse Practitioners.

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the outcomes of Interval Copper Intrauterine Device (IUD) insertion performed by certified midwives and obstetric nurse practitioners at a Peri-Hospital Birth Center. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was conducted involving 75 women who underwent IUD insertion between January 2018 and February 2020. Data collection was carried out using medical records and telephone interviews. RESULTS: no instances of uterine perforation were observed. Expulsion rates of the devices were 1.3% within 30 to 45 days of use and 5.3% within the first year of use. The follow-up removal rate was 4.0%. The average pain score reported was 4.2 (SD = 3.3). Among those who continued using the device, 93.1% expressed satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: the findings demonstrate that IUD insertion by certified midwives and obstetric nurse practitioners is a safe procedure, yielding outcomes comparable to those reported in the existing literature.

Reproductive autonomy associated with the use of contraceptive methods among reproductive aged women.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the sociodemographic aspects associated with reproductive autonomy among urban women, with special regard to the relationship with the use of contraceptive methods. METHOD: Cross-sectional study with 1252 women, conducted between April and June 2021, using the Brazilian version of the Reproductive Autonomy Scale. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Mean scores for the subscales were 2.5 (SD=0.3) (Decision-making), 3.8 (SD=0.3) (Absence of Coercion) and 3.6 (SD=0.4) (Communication). Compared to women who reported no use of contraceptive methods, women using barrier or behavioral methods and those using LARC had higher level of reproductive autonomy on all dimensions of the Scale (p<0.001). Other aspects associated with reproductive autonomy were education, race/ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status and cohabitation living with a partner, depending on each subscale. CONCLUSION: The type of contraceptive method used was statistically associated with reproductive autonomy in all subscales.

"We want to hug a friend": the covid-19 pandemic among low-income adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the perceptions of adolescent students from a public school, of both sexes, living in a peripheral region of the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in relation to the covid-19 pandemic, with a special focus on their experiences regarding education and sociability. METHODS: This study is part of the Global Early Adolescent Study. Seven face-to-face focus groups were conducted with adolescents between 13 and 16 years old (19 girls and 15 boys) in 2021. RESULTS: The experience of remote teaching was frustrating for the adolescents, without the daily and personalized monitoring of the teacher(s). In addition to the difficult or impossible access to devices and the lack of support from schools, there is also the domestic environment, which made the schooling process more difficult, especially for girls, who were forced to take on more household and family care tasks. The closed school blocked an important space for socialization and forced family interaction, generating conflicts and stress in the home environment. The abrupt rupture brought feelings of fear, uncertainty, anguish and loneliness. The iterative evocation of the words "stuck", "alone" and "loneliness" and the phrase "there was no one to talk to" shows how most of the adolescents experienced the period of distancing. The pandemic aggravated the objective and subjective conditions of preexisting feelings, such as "not knowing the future" and the prospects of a life project. CONCLUSION: It has been documented how pandemic control measures implemented in a fragmented way and without support for the most impoverished families have negative effects on other spheres of life, in particular for poor young people. The school is a privileged territory to propose/construct actions that help adolescents to deal with problems aggravated in/by the pandemic.

Factors associated with post-abortion contraceptive discontinuation.

OBJECTIVES: To assess factors associated with post-abortion contraceptive discontinuation. METHOD: This cross-sectional study addressed 111 women aged 18-49 attending Primary Health Care Facilities in São Paulo/SP, Aracaju/SE, and Cuiabá/MT, Brazil, who reported an abortion five years before the interview held in 2015-2017. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox Regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Oral hormonal contraceptives, male condoms, and injectable contraceptives were the methods most frequently used. The contraceptive discontinuation rate was 41.8% in the 12 months after the abortion. The pill was the method most frequently abandoned (58.3%); male condoms were the method that failed the most (72.7%), and injectable contraceptives were the method most frequently switched (50.0%). Being up to 24 years old, having ten or more years of education, having three or more children, and a desire to wait longer before becoming pregnant again were associated with post-abortion contraceptive discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Short-acting contraceptive methods were predominant among post-abortion women. The type of discontinuation varied according to the type of method used. The factors associated with contraceptive discontinuation were age, education, parity, and reproductive intention.