Women's preferences for vaginal antimicrobial contraceptives. V: attitudes of Brazilian women to the insertion of vaginal products.
The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the female population increases the urgency of developing new formulations that offer protection from this disease as well as other sexually transmitted infections. In many cultures, women do not readily accept touching their genitals or inserting products into their vaginas. Information on this subject was collected during a study involving 635 women in Brazil to determine the preferred attributes of vaginal products. Seventy-six percent would use an idealized contraceptive method that offered dual protection even though it could only be inserted with a finger and 96% would use this method if it could only be placed with an applicator. Qualitative analyses of responses to open questions suggest that the majority of Brazilian women studied did not like to touch their vagina with their finger or to insert devices. Although the introduction of safe and effective vaginal microbicides into many cultural settings can be successful, it should be accompanied by significant efforts to educate women about their bodies.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), Caixa Postal 6181, 13084-971, São Paulo, Brazil. hardy@unicamp.br
Ellen
E
Hardy
Karla S
KS
de Pádua
Eliana Maria
EM
Hebling
Maria José Duarte
MJ
Osis
Lourens J D
LJ
Zaneveld
D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001938:Brazil; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies; D016387:Women's Health
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies