Advantages and Disadvantages of Medical Abortion, According to Brazilian Residents in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Objective:  To find out which was the opinion of residents in obstetrics and gynecology about the advantages and disadvantages of medical abortion as compared with surgical procedures.

Method:  Cross-sectional multicenter study among residents in obstetrics and gynecology from 21 maternity hospitals located in 4 different geographical regions of Brazil, using a self-responded questionnaire with 31 questions related to their opinion and experience on providing abortion services.

Results:  Most residents agreed that "being less invasive" (94.

Knowledge on medical abortion among Brazilian medical residents in Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Medical or drug-induced abortion has been proven as an effective means for termination of pregnancy. However, training of providers in the use of misoprostol has been limited. The current article aims to identify the degree of knowledge on medical abortion among Brazilian medical residents in Gynecology and Obstetrics.

The abstract versus the concrete: differing opinions of medical residents in obstetrics and gynaecology about abortion and punishment of abortion.

To investigate the opinions of Brazilian medical residents in Obstetrics and Gynaecology on abortion legislation according to their personal beliefs. A multicentre cross-sectional study. Residents at 21 university teaching hospitals completed a self-report questionnaire on their opinions in abstract terms, and about punishing women who abort in general and women they know.

Physicians' information to patients and prescription of the emergency contraceptive pill according to their personal experience of using the method and perception of its mechanism of action.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between physicians' understanding of the mechanism of action of the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP), their personal use of it, and their practice in informing their patients about the method and in prescribing it.

Methods: The study was carried out in a sample of 3337 obstetrician-gynaecologists who responded to a mailed questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was used to test the association between physicians' personal use of the ECP, their understanding of its mechanism of action, and their practice in informing their patients about the method and in prescribing it.

[SUS users' knowledge of and attitude to HPV virus and vaccines available in Brazil].

Objective: To investigate knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccines in men and women, users of the Brazilian Unified Health System, and the intention to get themselves and their teenage children vaccinated.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study with 286 women (18-49 years old) and 252 men (18-60 years old), users of five primary health units and two polyclinics in Campinas, SP, Southeastern Brazil, was carried out. Participants were interviewed in 2011 using a structured questionnaire.

Conscientious objection or fear of social stigma and unawareness of ethical obligations.

Conscientious objection is a legitimate right of physicians to reject the practice of actions that violate their ethical or moral principles. The application of that principle is being used in many countries as a justification to deny safe abortion care to women who have the legal right to have access to safe termination of pregnancy. The problem is that, often, this concept is abused by physicians who camouflage under the guise of conscientious objection their fear of experiencing discrimination and social stigma if they perform legal abortions.

Brazilians have different views on when abortion should be legal, but most do not agree with imprisoning women for abortion.

Unsafe abortions remain a major public health problem in countries with very restrictive abortion laws. In Brazil, parliamentarians - who have the power to change the law - are influenced by "public opinion", often obtained through surveys and opinion polls. This paper presents the findings from two studies.

Knowledge of medical abortion among Brazilian medical students.

Objective: To assess the knowledge of Brazilian medical students regarding medical abortion (MA) and the use of misoprostol for MA, and to investigate factors influencing their knowledge.

Methods: All students from 3 medical schools in São Paulo State were invited to complete a pretested structured questionnaire with precoded response categories. A set of 12 statements on the use and effects of misoprostol for MA assessed their level of knowledge.

Violence among female users of healthcare units: prevalence, perspective and conduct of managers and professionals.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of violence in women who are primary healthcare users and to verify if these situations were detected and how they were tackled by these services' professionals.

Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out with 14 municipal women's health coordinators, 2,379 women who are users of primary healthcare units, 75 managers and 375 professionals, in 15 municipalities of the State of São Paulo (Southeastern Brazil), between August 2008 and May 2009. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and a descriptive analysis was conducted.

Brazilian abortion law: the opinion of judges and prosecutors.

Objective: To analyze the opinion of judges and prosecutors concerning Brazilian abortion law and situations in which the abortion should be allowed.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with 1,493 judges and 2,614 prosecutors in Brazil between 2005 and 2006. Participants completed a structured questionnaire approaching sociodemographic characteristics, opinions about abortion law, and circumstances in which abortion is considered lawful.

The closer you are, the better you understand: the reaction of Brazilian obstetrician-gynaecologists to unwanted pregnancy.

In Brazil, abortion is legally restricted but highly prevalent. The objective of this study was to obtain data on the opinions of obstetrician-gynaecologists regarding abortion and to verify whether there is consistency between their personal opinion with respect to abortion and their private decision when confronted personally with an unwanted pregnancy or with a request for abortion from a patient or relative. A structured questionnaire was sent to obstetrician-gynaecologists, members of the Brazilian Federation of Gynaecological and Obstetrical Societies (FEBRASGO).

[Choice of contraceptive methods by women attending a public health clinic].

This paper presents the perceptions of 250 women who requested contraceptive methods (CM) at a public health clinic in relation to their freedom of choice and the role of an educational activity and consultation in this degree of freedom. Satisfaction with the chosen method and continuation after 6 months were also studied. Nearly all the women (99.

[Exclusive breastfeeding among working women with free daycare available at workplace].

Objective: To investigate factors related to the decision of exclusive breastfeeding, and the planned and the actual duration among working women with free daycare available at workplace.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted comparing a group of 15 women exclusively breastfeeding their babies with a similar group of women whose babies were already being fed with other food besides maternal milk at the time they started attending a daycare center. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out for data collection.

Fertility and reproductive history of sterilized and non-sterilized women in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.

This article compares sterilized and non-sterilized women in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, reproductive history, and cohabitation status. Women from 30 to 49 years of age and residing in Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, were interviewed with a pre-tested and structured questionnaire: 236 women sterilized at least five years before the interview and 236 non-sterilized women. The sterilized women were significantly more likely to be married or cohabiting, to be younger when they began cohabiting, and to have been in the union longer than the non-sterilized women.

[Knowledge adequacy on contraceptives among women in Campinas, Brazil].

Objective: An analysis of secondary data was carried out to evaluate the knowledge adequacy on contraceptives and its association with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.

Methods: The sample consisted of 472 women from the city of Campinas, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Chi-square test was used to evaluate differences among variables and logistic regression was performed to identify independent variables associated with knowledge adequacy (evaluated through a score).

[Male participation in contraceptive methods use].

This study aimed to evaluate male participation in the use of contraceptive methods and to identify relevant variables. A secondary data analysis was conducted, and the sample size was estimated at 175 men using contraceptives methods that require male participation. The study used the qui-square test to evaluate differences between groups, as well as multiple logistic regression analysis.

[Male perspective on induced abortion].

Objective: To analyze the perspective on induced abortion of men of a university community living in legal or consensual wedlock.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out and 361 members of different categories of an university were interviewed. Chi-square test was used to assess the association between dependent and independent variables.