Characteristics of Contraceptive Use in Sao Paulo State, Brazil

摘要

Objective To know the characteristics of contraceptive use in Sao Paulo State collected by the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 1996. Methods Data of Sao Paulo in 1996 were analyzed compared with the previous DHS carried on in 1986 focusing on Sao Paulo State. Contraceptive use among married or cohabiting women by age, number of children and schooling was closely examined. Age and timing of female sterilization were also analyzed. Results The results showed that unlike Brazil there was a stability of female sterilization in Sao Paulo State during 1986 and 1996. There was a pattern in Sao Paulo: up to 30 years old the pill was the most used contraceptive, after 30 there was a predominance of female sterilization, which increased with the number of children and decreased with schooling. The use of male methods had also increased in the 1986 and 1996 period, being greater in Sao Paulo than in Brazil. Sao Paulo also presented more diversity in the use of reversible contraceptives. Conclusions The predominant two contraceptive methods in Brazil and Sao Paulo changed from 1986 to 1996, i.e. from pill to female sterilization.