RESUMO

Abortion laws are key in creating an enabling environment that facilitates the advancement of people's sexual and reproductive health and rights. Around 50 countries have liberalized their abortion laws in the last decades by adding new grounds allowing abortion. The road toward the expansion of legal abortion is a long, highly sensitive, and difficult process. The specific role of healthcare providers in influencing abortion law reforms has been scarcely studied. With the objective to better understand their (potential) roles, a qualitative study was conducted in 2021 focusing on three countries that had recently liberalized their abortion regulations: Argentina, South Korea, and Ireland. For each country, key informant interviews were conducted with actors in advocacy for legal change, the majority with healthcare providers. The study results indicate that healthcare providers can contribute to the expansion of legal abortion through their influence on public and legal debates. Healthcare providers were found to be scientifically credible and trustworthy. Their voice and argumentation counteracted anti-rights arguments and addressed information gaps, by providing specific clinical experiences and medical information. Healthcare providers amplified women's experiences through their testimonies and had entry points within governmental bodies, which facilitated their advocacy. These healthcare providers often functioned as individual operating obstetrician/gynecologists or general practitioners who were engaged in networks of health professionals or had previous advocacy experience. In a global context of social and political contention around abortion, extending the engagement of healthcare providers in law and policy deliberation on abortion appears to be useful. This requires recognizing the diversity of roles that healthcare providers can take up, creating a safe environment in which they can operate, equipping them with skills that go beyond the medical expert role and facilitating strategic partnerships that seek complementarity between multiple stakeholders, building on the uniqueness of each stakeholder's expertise.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Introduction: In the last decade, Venezuela has experienced a complex humanitarian crisis that has limited access to healthcare. We set out to describe Venezuelan women's experiences accessing sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion, which is heavily restricted by law. Methods: We fielded an online survey in July of 2020 among Venezuelan women recruited through social media advertisements. We conducted descriptive statistical analyses using Excel and STATA SE Version 16.0. Results: We received 851 completed survey responses. Almost all respondents experienced significant hardship in the last year, including inflation (99%), worries about personal safety (86%), power outages (76%), and lack of access to clean water (74%) and medications (74%). Two thirds of respondents used contraception in the last two years, and almost half (44%) of respondents had difficulty accessing contraception during that same time period. About one fifth of respondents reported having had an abortion; of these, 63% used abortion pills, and 72% reported difficulties in the process. Half of those who had an abortion did it on their own, while the other half sought help - either from family members or friends (34%), from providers in the private health sector (14%), or from the Internet (12%). Conclusions: Venezuelan women who responded to our survey describe a harsh context with limited access to sexual and reproductive health services. However, they report relatively high rates of contraceptive use, and abortion seems to be common despite the restrictive legal setting.

RESUMO

Resumen Desde hace casi un siglo el código penal argentino incluye situaciones en las que el aborto no está penalizado: riesgo para la salud y embarazo producto de violación. Sin embargo, su implementación ha sido inexistente hasta recientemente. Este estudio cualitativo exploró las experiencias de mujeres que accedieron a un aborto legal con el fin de analizar los recorridos que transitan e identificar los modos en que el estigma se percibe, manifiesta y procesa. Las mujeres parten del supuesto de que el aborto es siempre ilegal y "descubren" la legalidad después de recorrer un laberinto plagado de estigma, riesgo, frustración y desesperación. Las situaciones de mayor angustia no se vinculan a la decisión de interrumpir el embarazo sino al recorrido tortuoso que deben transitar. La "legalidad oculta" es causa y consecuencia del estigma vinculado al aborto.

Abstract For nearly a century Argentina's penal code has included two exceptions in which abortion is permitted: health risk and rape. However, the implementation of legal abortion has been nearly nonexistent until recently. This qualitative study explored the experiences of women who accessed legal abortions in Argentina. It sought to analyze the paths they must walk through and to identify the ways in which stigma is perceived, manifested and processed. All women interviewed started searching for clandestine solutions to their unwanted pregnancy assuming abortion was always illegal. They "discovered" legality after walking through a path marked by stigma, risk, frustration and despair. Distress is not linked to the decision to end the pregnancy but is rather a result of the path they wander through. The "hidden legality" is a cause and consequence of abortion stigma.

Resumo Por quase um século, o código penal argentino inclui situações nas quais o aborto não penalizado: risco à saúde e gravidez resultante de estupro. No entanto, sua implementação não existia até recentemente. Este estudo qualitativo explorou as experiências de mulheres que acessaram um aborto legal, a fim de analisar as jornadas pelas quais passam e identificar as maneiras pelas quais o estigma é percebido, manifestado e processado. As mulheres assumem que o aborto é sempre ilegal e "descobrem" a legalidade depois de passar por um labirinto cheio de estigma, risco, frustração e desespero. As situações mais angustiantes não estão ligadas à decisão de interromper a gravidez, mas à jornada tortuosa pela qual devem passar. A "legalidade oculta" é causa e consequência do estigma associado ao aborto.

Assuntos

RESUMO

La adolescencia es un período de cambios dinámicos y profundos y representa, para el pediatra, desafíos particulares. En este nuevo volumen se han seleccionado temas específicos con el fin de actuailizar el conocimiento y transmitir pautas de abordaje desde una mirada interdisciplinaria. Entre sus aspectos sobresalientes se incluyen: El estudio de temas de interés especial como el abordaje del adolescente en la consulta de salud mental, los marcos legales vinculados al ejercicio de los derechos individuales, la sexualidad incorporando los aspectos de género y diversidad, así como las problemáticas relacionadas con el embarazo, la anticoncepción y las enfermedades de transmisión sexual en esta etapa de la vida. También se incluyen capítulos sobre el consumo problemático de sustancias y el impacto de las enfermedades crónicas en adolescentes. El enfoque práctico y la discusión de casos clínicos ubicando al pediatra en un papel central como coordinador de la atención interdisciplinaria y la inclusión en cada capítulo de aspectos clave y lecturas recomendadas. Una obra actualizada que aporta información científica y la experiencia de los profesionales del Hospital Garrahan dedicada a todos los miembros del equipo de salud que atienden y cuidan adolescentes dondequiera que trabajen al servicio de la salud infantil.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Resumen Este artículo examina el fenómeno de la objeción de conciencia (OC) a los servicios de aborto legal en Argentina, Uruguay y Colombia. Basado en relatos obtenidos a través de entrevistas, el análisis toma distancia de aquellos enfocados en diferenciar entre OC y barreras al servicio, o en identificar si las razones de objeción son verdaderas o válidas. Partiendo del hecho de que en muy pocos casos las/los objetoras/es están al tanto de las definiciones legales de la OC, se busca entender los significados que las/los entrevistadas/os le atribuyeron, y desde los cuales organizan su práctica médica, y justifican su negación a prestar servicios de aborto. En los tres países las/los entrevistadas/os se oponían principalmente a que fueran las mujeres quienes tomaran la decisión de qué embarazos interrumpir, y cómo y cuándo hacerlo. Los discursos contingentes a través de los cuales las/os médicas/os construyen las racionalidades de su OC están hechos, sobre todo, de un incuestionado apego al control de los cuerpos con capacidad de gestar; y de entendidos médico-sociales de las mujeres como inexorablemente madres, máquinas de reproducción o soportes vitales de fetos.

Resumo Este artigo examina o fenômeno da objeção de consciência (OC) nos serviços de aborto legal na Argentina, Uruguai e Colômbia. Com base nas narrativas obtidas por meio de entrevistas, a análise se distancia daquelas focadas na diferenciação entre OC e barreiras ao serviço, ou na interrogação sobre a verdade ou validade das razões para a objeção. Partindo do fato de que, em poucos casos, os objetores conhecem as definições legais da OC, procura-se compreender os significados que as/os entrevistadas/os lhe atribuíram e a partir dos quais organizam a sua prática médica e justificam a sua recusa em prestar serviços de aborto. Em todos os três países, os/as entrevistados/as se opuseram principalmente a que as mulheres decidissem por si mesmas quais gravidezes interromper, como e quando o fazem. Os discursos contingentes através dos quais os/as médicos/as constroem as racionalidades da sua OC são feitos, sobretudo, através de um apego inquestionável ao controle dos corpos capazes de gestação; e de compreensões médico-sociais das mulheres como inexoravelmente mães, máquinas de reprodução ou suportes vitais dos fetos.

Abstract This article examines conscientious objection (CO) to legal abortion services in Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia. Based on interviews, the analysis offers an alternative from studies focusing on differentiating between CO and access barriers, or in identifying if the reasons for the objections are true or valid. Considering the fact that it is only in very few cases that the objectors knew the legal definition of CO, the article seeks to understand the meanings that the interviewees attribute to their objection, how they organize their medical practices and how they justify their denial to provide abortion services. In all three countries, the interviewees' main opposition was to women themselves making the decision to interrupt a pregnancy, and how and when to do it. The contingent and variable discourses through which the doctors construct the logic of their CO are made of an unquestioning attachment to controlling gestating bodies; and a default socio-medical understanding of women as mothers, reproductive machines or as fetal life support systems.

Assuntos

RESUMO

INTRODUCCIÓN: La mayoría de las adolescentes que dan a luz cada año no planifican el embarazo. Otras optan por interrumpirlo, muchas veces en condiciones inseguras. OBJETIVOS: Caracterizar a la población de adolescentes que tienen un evento obstétrico y analizar cómo los diferentes contactos con el sistema de salud en torno al evento obstétrico inciden en la adopción y adherencia a métodos anticonceptivos (MAC). MÉTODOS: Se realizaron encuestas aplicadas a una muestra no representativa de adolescentes de 14 a 20 años, hospitalizadas por un parto o un aborto en instituciones públicas de Pilar (provincia de Buenos Aires), San Juan y Posadas, en tres ocasiones: antes del alta hospitalaria, a los 80 y a los160 días posevento. RESULTADOS: Sólo 4 de cada 10 adolescentes egresaron de la internación con un MAC. El control posevento fue la instancia de mayor acceso aunque no siempre se obtuvo el método de preferencia. A los 160 días del evento obstétrico, 8 de cada 10 adolescentes usaban un MAC. Las fallas en la calidad y continuidad de uso detectadas indican que una alta proporción está expuesta al riesgo de un embarazo no buscado. CONCLUSIONES: Es fundamental aumentar la cobertura y calidad de la consejería anticonceptiva posaborto y posparto, para muchas la primera oportunidad de tener una discusión cara a cara sobre métodos con personal calificado. Se requiere diversificar la oferta para incluir los métodos de mediano (inyectables) y largo plazo (dispositivo intrauterino e implante subdérmico).

INTRODUCTION: Most teenage girls giving birth every year do not plan their pregnancy. Others choose to interrupt it, often under unsafe conditions. OBJECTIVES: To describe the profile of adolescents who have an obstetric event and analyze how contacts with the health care system around the obstetric event influence contraceptive uptake and adherence. METHODS: Surveys were applied to a non-representative sample of postpartum or postabortion hospitalized teenage girls in public health institutions of Pilar, San Juan and Posadas before hospital discharge and 80 and 160 days after the obstetric event. RESULTS: Only 4 out of 10 adolescents left the hospital with a contraceptive method. Postpartum and postabortion care checkups were the moments of greater accessibility to contraception, though adolescents not always received the method of their choice. One hundred and sixty days after the obstetric event, 8 out of 10 adolescents were using a contraceptive method. Problems identified in the quality and continuity of use suggest a high proportion of them are exposed to unplanned pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the coverage and quality of contraceptive counseling in postabortion and postpartum adolescents is key, since this may be the first opportunity to discuss methods face to face with qualified personnel. A wide range of methods including medium (injectable) and long-acting methods (intrauterine devices and sub-dermal implants) should be offered.

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: To create a hospital pediatric inpatient experience survey based on the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospital Survey (CAHPS® Hospital Survey). DESIGN: Survey development based on: (i) Translation and back translation, (ii) Review by experts, (iii) Cultural adaptation: qualitative evaluation of dimensions with reformulation and adaptation of items, (iv) Local cognitive evaluation and (v) Final measurement of its psychometric properties. Inspection, content validity and reliability assessment through internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) and inter-item correlation. Factor analysis matrix: extraction, selection and rotation. SETTING: Two pediatric hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina: Hospital de Pediatría 'Garrahan' (HG) and Hospital de Niños 'Ricardo Gutiérrez' (HRG). PARTICIPANTS: Parents or caregivers of pediatric patients hospitalized for at least 24 h. RESULTS: A feasible and easy to administer 21-item instrument was developed. One thousand and thirty-two surveys were analyzed, 630 (61%) in HG and 402 (39%) in HRG. Population: mothers of admitted children were interviewed 85% of the time, 61% (625) had completed minor schooling to high school education; 365 families (35%) had unsatisfied basic needs and 51% (529) did not have health insurance. Reliability: adequate Cronbach's alpha scores were found with correlation 0.7 or higher in most domains. Validity: a direct correlation was observed between overall positive opinion and quality of care perceived with the survey, and an indirect correlation (perceived low quality) with higher level of schooling and health insurance ownership. CONCLUSION: An instrument with adequate psychometric properties was adapted to evaluate patients and families' perceptions of quality of care received during children's hospitalization.

Assuntos

RESUMO

El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar el uso actual de métodos anticonceptivos en la Argentina en función de la voluntad para la limitación de los nacimientos. En nuestro país, la elevada proporción de embarazos no planificados, contrasta con el conocimiento generalizado de los métodos anticonceptivos y los avances en materia legislativa que se han producido en las últimas décadas. La fuente de datos del estudio es la Encuesta Nacional sobre Salud Sexual y Reproductiva 2013 (ENSS y R2013) relevamiento del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación cuyo objetivo general fue generar información acerca de la salud sexual y reproductiva de los varones de 14 a 59 años y las mujeres de 14 a 49 años en los centros urbanos de 2.000 o más habitantes. Quienes han usado métodos alguna vez no esgrimen motivos relativos al desconocimiento y falta de medios para su acceso material; "no le gusta usarlos/no quiere" aparece como el principal argumento entre este grupo, y en mayor medida entre varones que entre mujeres. Podemos en este caso hablar más que de demanda insatisfecha de falta de demanda efectiva, o no interpretación de las consecuencias que se pueden derivar de esta elección. El temor al daño a la salud aparece entre las mujeres como el segundo motivo en importancia. Por el contrario las respuestas que dan cuenta de la falta de acceso ganan preponderancia entre los nunca usuarios; en particular el desconocimiento de los métodos esgrimido por las mujeres, sin embargo la respuesta "No le gusta usarlos/no quiere" vuelve a ser la más mencionada. El que esta respuesta resulte mayoritaria ante la pregunta sobre los motivos del no uso de métodos anticonceptivos plantea tanto la necesidad de seguir profundizando en la investigación acera de las motivaciones profundas que llevan a esta decisión, como el desafío de prestar -al menos- tanta atención a los motivos "culturales ideacionales" con a los "materiales" en el abordaje del fenómeno en la práctica concreta desde el sector salud

Assuntos

RESUMO

En 2012 fue aprobado por Resolución 3146/12 del Ministerio de Salud de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (PBA) el Protocolo de Atención Integral de los Abortos No Punibles (ANP). Desde entonces, su implementación ha sido dispar en los diferentes centros provinciales de salud. Si bien estudios previos refieren que esta temática es percibida como una prioridad para los equipos de salud, su implementación enfrenta diversos obstáculos. Este estudio propone indagar acerca de la experiencia en la resolución de ANP en nueve efectores de la PBA a fin de describir los factores que inciden en la implementación de esta práctica. En particular se pretende relevar la diversidad de interpretaciones y formas de implementación entre los equipos de salud respecto del marco legal, así como los modos de organización de los servicios dentro de las estructuras hospitalarias, entre los años 2012 y 2016. Se realizó un relevamiento a través de entrevistas semi-estructuradas y de una encuesta autoadministrada con profesionales de la salud. Como factores facilitadores para la implementación del ANP se destacan a) los procesos de reflexión y consenso interno de los equipos de salud, b) una interpretación de las causales de de aborto legal basada en los conceptos de salud integral, género y derechos, y c) las capacitaciones y el apoyo por parte de instancias suprahospitalarias. Por otro lado, como factores obstaculizantes se identificaron a) la existencia de servicios objetores, b) la ausencia de trabajo articulado y diálogo dentro de los efectores, c) la falta de apoyo político explícito, d) el estado jurídico de punibilidad del aborto, e) la anteposición de determinados valores morales frente a las necesidades sanitarias y f) la incertidumbre en torno a la edad gestacional (EG) límite para la práctica de ANP. La interpretación del marco normativo, junto a la propia experiencia acumulada de cada equipo en cuanto a realización de ANP, condiciona la respuesta a la demanda y el acceso de las mujeres a la práctica

Assuntos

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Over the last three decades, cesarean section (CS) rates have been rising around the world despite no associated improvement in maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. The role of women's preferences for mode of delivery in contributing to the high CS rate remains controversial; however these preferences are difficult to assess, as they are influenced by culture, knowledge of risk and benefits, and personal and social factors. In this qualitative study, our objective was to understand women's preferences and motivational factors for mode of delivery. This information will inform the development and design of an assessment aimed at understanding the role of the women's preferences for mode of delivery. METHODS: We conducted 4 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 12 in-depth interviews with pregnant women in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 4 large non-public and public hospitals. Our sample included 29 nulliparous pregnant women aged 18-35 years old, with single pregnancies over 32 weeks of gestational age, without pregnancies resulting from assisted fertility, without known pre-existing medical illness or diseases diagnosed during pregnancy, without an indication of elective cesarean section, and who are not health professionals. FGDs and interviews followed a pre-designed guide based on the health belief model and social cognitive theory of health decisions and behaviors. RESULTS: Most of the women preferred vaginal delivery (VD) due to cultural, personal, and social factors. VD was viewed as normal, healthy, and a natural rite of passage from womanhood to motherhood. Pain associated with vaginal delivery was viewed positively. In contrast, women viewed CS as a medical decision and often deferred decisions to medical staff in the presence of medical indication. CONCLUSIONS: These findings converge with quantitative and qualitative studies showing that women prefer towards VD for various cultural, personal and social reasons. Actual CS rates appear to diverge from women's preferences and reasons are discussed.

Assuntos