Smoking prevalence, reduction, and cessation during pregnancy and associated factors: a cross-sectional study in public maternities, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Background: Smoking epidemic in Brazilian women has later onset, smaller magnitude, and slower decreasing trend, compared to men. Among pregnant women, smoking has an additional deleterious effect. The purpose of this study was to analyze smoking prevalence during pregnancy and associated factors, and to describe the frequency of smoking reduction and cessation in public maternities of Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil, in 2011.

[The decision of women for cesarean birth: a case study in two units of the supplementary health care system of the State of Rio de Janeiro].

Cesarean section rates are very high in Brazil mainly in private hospitals, probably due to socioeconomic and cultural factors. The objective of this study was to describe socioeconomic, demographic, cultural and reproductive characteristics of women in the postpartum period and the factors that had determined their decision for caesarean section in two units of the supplementary health care system of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The study population was composed of 437 women that had vaginal or caesarean childbirths in the two selected units.