Family planning in Brazil: why not tubal sterilisation during childbirth?

Sterilisation is the most desired method of contraception worldwide. In 1996, the Brazilian Congress approved a family planning law that legitimised female and male sterilisation, but forbade sterilisation during childbirth. As a result of this law, procedures currently occur in a clandestine nature upon payment. Despite the law, sterilisations continue to be performed during caesarean sections. The permanence of the method is an important consideration; therefore, information about other methods must be made available. Tubal sterilisation must not be the only choice. We argue that review of this restriction will not contribute to the increase in caesarean sections but will allow for greater sterilisation choice for men and women.

Ruta crítica para la realización de ligadura tubaria: estudio en un hospital público en la ciudad de Buenos Aires / Critical route for the realization of tubal ligation: study at a public hospital in the city of Buenos Aires

La existencia de brechas entre el marco legal en salud sexual y reproductiva y la puesta en práctica en las realidades sanitarias locales de las políticas públicas relativas a la ligadura tubaria en particular constituye un tema crucial para la Salud Pública de la Argentina. Objetivo general: describir los factores que impulsaron u obstaculizaron la ruta crítica que realizaron las mujeres gran multíparas para ejercer el derecho a solicitar la ligadura tubaria. Material y métodos: el diseño fue exploratorio descriptivo. Se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad y se administró un cuestionario sociodemográfico a una muestra intencional de 30 usuarias gran multíparas que solicitaron la anticoncepción quirúrgica durante el período: agosto de 2009 - enero de 2010, en el Área de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva del Hospital Materno Infantil Ramón Sardá de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Resultados: 17 de las entrevistadas había solicitado la ligadura tubaria previamente. Del total, 22 entrevistadas iniciaron el recorrido cursando un embarazo no deseado y 9 pensaron en recurrir a un aborto inseguro, entre las cuales 5 averiguaron al respecto y 1 lo intentó. Conclusiones: Se espera que los resultados sean de utilidad para el diseño de estrategias intersectoriales efectivas que permitan monitorear el cumplimiento de la ley nacional Nº 26.130 con el fin de garantizar el acceso oportuno a la ligadura tubaria, y disminuir las iniquidades relativas a brechas territoriales, institucionales y obstáculos simbólicos y epistemológicos, a nivel sanitario, en la Argentina.

The existence of great gaps between the legal frame of the sexual and reproductive health system and the implementation of public policies in relation to tubal sterilization within the reality of local health institutions is a matter of crucial issue for Public Health of Argentina. General objective: To describe the factors that motivate or prevent the beginning of the critical path that grand multiparous women took in order to excercise their right to petition tubal sterilization. Methods and materials: The design was descriptive exploratory. Interviews in depth were conducted and a sociodemographic questionnaire was used over an in tentional sample of thirty grand multiparous women who arrived to the Reproductive and Sexual Health Area of the Ramón Sardá Hospital in the City of Buenos Aires asking for tubal sterilization during August 2009-January 2010. Results: 17 women had preaviously asked for tubal sterilization, and 22 out of the total number initiated the whole process with an unwanted pregnancy; and 9 women considered an unsafe abortion, 5 of them did research about it and 1 tried it. Conclusions: It is expected that the results shall be useful for the design and implementation of effective strategies that allow to monitor the enforcement of the national law N° 26.130 for the purpose of guaranteeing access to tubal sterilization, and to decrease inequality in relation to territorial and institutional gaps, as well as symbolic obstacles in Argentina.

Motivos de solicitud de la ligadura tubaria: estudio exploratorio desde la perspectiva de las usuarias gran multíparas que asisten a un hospital público de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires / Motives of request of the tubal ligation: exploratory study from the perspectives of the users great multiparous that they are present at a public hospital of the Buenos Aires City

En la Argentina, desde agosto de 2006 está vigente la Ley Nacional Nº 26.130 que garantiza el derecho a las mujeres mayores de edad, que no desean tener más hijos, a acceder en forma gratuita a la ligadura tubaria. Objetivo: Describir los motivos que explicitan las mujeres gran multíparas para solicitar la ligadura tubaria. Material y métodos: El diseño fue exploratorio-descriptivo y la metodología cualitativa. Se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad a una muestra intencional de 30 usuarias gran multíparas (> 5 partos) que solicitaron la anticoncepción quirúrgica en el Área de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva del HMI Ramón Sardá de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, y a 10 profesionales de la salud, considerados informantes clave. Resultados: La mitad de las mujeres entrevistadas había solicitado la ligadura tubaria previamente y 22 de 26 mujeres (84,6 por ciento) que estaban embarazadas al momento de solicitar la práctica, señalaron que su embarazo no era deseado. Entre algunos resultados, la mayoría era argentina y la edad promedio fue de 34,6 años. El temor a sufrir complicaciones en la salud en caso de un nuevo embarazo y la situación de un embarazo inesperado, aparecen como motivos determinantes para la solicitud de la práctica. Conclusiones: Si bien la sanción de la ley es muy reciente y su implementación está sujeta a diversas barreras, depende de la voluntad de los actores sociales para que dichos obstáculos sean visibilizados, a fin de optimizar la calidad de atención de las beneficiarias de los Programas de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva de la Argentina.

In Argentina, a National Law 26.130 was passed in August, 2006. This law gives the right to women over 21 years old who do not want to have more children to ask for the tubal sterilization without having to pay for the practice. Objective: Describe the reasons that grand multiparous women give to petition for a tubal sterilization. Material and methods: The design was descriptive exploratory and the methodology was qualitative. Interviews in depth were conducted to an intentional sample of thirty grand multiparous women (>5 partos) who arrive to the Reproductive and Sexual Health Area of the Ramón Sardá Hospital in the City of Buenos Aires asking for tubal sterilization, plus ten professionals in the health field, considered key informants. Results: Half of the women interviewed had already asked for the practice previously, and 22 of 26 women (84,6 per cent) that were pregnant talked that this pregnancy was unwanted. So me results establishes that most of them were argentinians and the average age was 34,6 years old. Conclusions: The fear of suffering health complications in the case of a new pregnancy or a new unwanted pregnancy appear to be the most important reasons to ask for the tubal sterilization. The visualization of the obstacles mentioned before depends on the willingness of the social actors. They will optimize the quality of the service offered to the patients of the reproductive and Sexual Health Program of Argentina.

Motivos de solicitud de la ligadura tubaria: estudio exploratorio desde la perspectiva de las usuarias gran multíparas que asisten a un hospital público de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires / Motives of request of the tubal ligation: exploratory study from the perspectives of the users great multiparous that they are present at a public hospital of the Buenos Aires City

En la Argentina, desde agosto de 2006 está vigente la Ley Nacional Nº 26.130 que garantiza el derecho a las mujeres mayores de edad, que no desean tener más hijos, a acceder en forma gratuita a la ligadura tubaria. Objetivo: Describir los motivos que explicitan las mujeres gran multíparas para solicitar la ligadura tubaria

In Argentina, a National Law 26.130 was passed in August, 2006. This law gives the right to women over 21 years old who do not want to have more children to ask for the tubal sterilization without having to pay for the practice. Objective: Describe the reasons that grand multiparous women give to petition for a tubal sterilization. Material and methods: The design was descriptive exploratory and the methodology was qualitative. Interviews in depth were conducted to an intentional sample of thirty grand multiparous women (>5 partos) who arrive to the Reproductive and Sexual Health Area of the Ramón Sardá Hospital in the City of Buenos Aires asking for tubal sterilization, plus ten professionals in the health field, considered key informants. Results: Half of the women interviewed had already asked for the practice previously, and 22 of 26 women (84,6 per cent) that were pregnant talked that this pregnancy was unwanted. So me results establishes that most of them were argentinians and the average age was 34,6 years old. Conclusions: The fear of suffering health complications in the case of a new pregnancy or a new unwanted pregnancy appear to be the most important reasons to ask for the tubal sterilization. The visualization of the obstacles mentioned before depends on the willingness of the social actors. They will optimize the quality of the service offered to the patients of the reproductive and Sexual Health Program of Argentina.(AU)

[Voluntary surgical sterilization in Greater Metropolitan Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, before and after legal regulation of the procedure]. / Esterilização cirúrgica voluntária na Região Metropolitana de Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil, antes e após sua regulamentação.

This cross-sectional study compared the provision of surgical sterilization in public health services in Greater Metropolitan Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, and the characteristics of women and men who underwent sterilization before and after its legal regulation. Structured and pre-tested questionnaires were applied to 398 women, 15 directors of municipal family planning programs, and 15 coordinators of basic health units. Eight municipalities in Greater Metropolitan Campinas provided tubal ligation and nine performed vasectomy. Approximately half reported following the guidelines of the prevailing family planning legislation. There were no significant differences before or after legal regulation in terms of the characteristics of women and men sterilized or the waiting time for surgery. Most tubal ligations were still performed in combination with cesarean sections (the additional payment for sterilization had decreased, but the difference was not significant). There is strong evidence that in Greater Metropolitan Campinas the changes expected from legal regulation of surgical sterilization did not materialize. Although progress has been made, several distortions still need to be corrected.

Características dos candidatos à esterilização cirúrgica e os fatores associados ao tipo de procedimento / Characteristics of candidates for surgical sterilization and factors associated with type of procedure

Em 1999, a Secretaria Municipal de Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brasil, implantou a oferta de métodos de esterilização cirúrgicos, de acordo com a legislação vigente. Este estudo objetivou caracterizar os candidatos à esterilização cirúrgica e estudar as variáveis associadas ao tipo de procedimento. Foram pesquisados 95 prontuários de candidatos e realizada análise estatística por meio de regressão logística e do teste exato de Fisher, considerando-se o nível de significância de p = 0,05. A maioria dos candidatos são casais estáveis, de baixa escolaridade e baixa renda, satisfeitos com o número de filhos e que já haviam tentado limitar a prole com o uso de anticoncepcionais reversíveis. A média de idade era de 34,2 anos; 45,3 por cento se submeteram à esterilização feminina; 35,8 por cento, à vasectomia, e 18,9 por cento não obtiveram o procedimento. A chance de o homem, com 35 anos ou mais, fazer vasectomia é 6,1 vezes a do homem mais jovem (OR = 6,1; IC95 por cento: 2,4-16,4); submetem-se à vasectomia mais homens casados do que os que coabitam (OR = 4,0; IC95 por cento: 1,5-12,4) e mulheres com quatro filhos ou mais fazem mais laqueadura do que aquelas com menos de quatro filhos (OR = 3,1; IC95 por cento: 1,1-8,5).

[Characteristics of candidates for surgical sterilization and factors associated with type of procedure]. / Características dos candidatos à esterilização cirúrgica e os fatores associados ao tipo de procedimento.

In 1999 the Municipal Health Department in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, implemented the provision of surgical contraceptive methods according to prevailing legal requirements. This study aimed to characterize the candidates for surgical sterilization and study the variables associated with the type of procedure. A total of 95 candidate patient records were studied, and statistical logistic regression analysis and Fisher's exact test were performed considering a significance level of ? = 0.05. Most candidates had stable partners, low schooling, and low income, were satisfied with their number of children, and had already tried to limit the number of children using reversible contraceptives. Mean age was 34.2 years, 45.3% underwent female sterilization, 35.8% underwent vasectomy, and 18.9% did not submit to any procedure. The odds of a man older than 35 having a vasectomy were 6.1 times that of a younger man (OR = 6.1; 95%CI: 2.4-16.4). More married men submitted to vasectomy than men who cohabited (OR = 4.0; 95%CI: 1.5-12.4). Women with four or more children were more likely to undergo sterilization than those with fewer children (OR = 3.1; 95%CI: 1.1-8.5).

Provision of female sterilization in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Forty percent of Brazilian married women from 15 to 49 years of age have undergone surgical sterilization. The 1988 Brazilian Constitution states that all scientifically proven contraceptive methods should be available to all citizens, but it was only in 1997 that specific family planning legislation was approved. This study examines physicians' perceptions and attitudes towards the current provision of female sterilization and its legal implications, as well as women's experience with obtaining and undergoing sterilization. The study design included: (1) an investigation of the hospitals and health professionals and (2) a survey of women sterilized in combination with cesarean delivery in 1998. The survey showed they had a median of 3 living children, 60.0% had been sterilized between 30 and 39 years of age, and 61.0% had paid for the procedure. Many women reported previous method failure and adverse effects with hormonal contraceptives. Women with less schooling and lower socioeconomic status had more children and had begun childbearing and had been sterilized at younger ages than women with more schooling and higher socioeconomic status. Inequalities related to reproduction were strongly associated with teenage pregnancy and inadequate knowledge about contraceptives.

Resolución Nº 0874: Procedimiento para la atención profesional frente a solicitudes de ligadura tubaria

Resolución que sin tener alcance general, describe el procedimiento médico de ligadura tubaria en pacientes que se atienden en los efectores del sistema de salud de la Ciudad. Fue creada luego del Consenso de Expertos realizado durante el año 2000, e impulsada por la Defensoría del Pueblo del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires

Resolución Nº 0874: Procedimiento para la atención profesional frente a solicitudes de ligadura tubaria

Resolución que sin tener alcance general, describe el procedimiento médico de ligadura tubaria en pacientes que se atienden en los efectores del sistema de salud de la Ciudad. Fue creada luego del Consenso de Expertos realizado durante el año 2000, e impulsada por la Defensoría del Pueblo del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires