Availability of family planning supplies in the Brazilian Primary Health Care Units

Abstract

Background The availability of contraceptive methods is a main determinant of their use and diversification is necessary to meet the reproductive health needs of women at different stages of life, in a universal and equitable way. The study aims to evaluate the availability of family planning supplies in Primary Care Units (PCU) in Brazil that adhered to the Program for Improvement of Access and Quality of Primary Care (PMAQ-AB) in three evaluation cycles (2012, 2014, 2018), as well as, its distribution according to the Human Development Index (HDI), population size, Family Health Strategy (FHS) coverage and geographic region. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study, of the more than 10.000 UBS included in the external evaluation of the PMAQ-AB. Availability was assessed by the physical presence of the following supplies: ethinyl estradiol + levonorgestrel, norethisterone, norethisterone + estradiol, levonorgestrel, medroxyprogesterone, male and female condom, IUD and rapid pregnancy test. The availability of all supplies at the PCU was considered adequate availability. Results The availability of supplies increased in the evaluated period. The lowest availabilities were IUD, 34.4% and rapid pregnancy test, 41.8%; the greatest were male condoms, 96.9%, and ethinyl estradiol + levonorgestrel, 85.2%. In Cycle III, adequate availability was 10.9%. The North had the worst results, followed by the Midwest region. HDI had little effect and population size had no effect on adequate availability, while FHS coverage was associated with greater availability. The PCUs of municipalities with a lower HDI had the largest increases in adequate availability. Adequate availability was greater in the PCUs that participated in all PMAQ-AB cycles. Conclusions Policies aimed at strengthening PHC increased the availability of supplies evaluated with equity promotion, however, regional inequities remain. The availability of a rapid pregnancy test and an IUD should be increased. Key messages Policies aimed at strengthening PHC, focusing infrastructure, provision and training professionals and quality monitoring increased the availability of family planning supplies with equity promotion. Monitoring the availability family planning supplies is essential for detecting failures, as the low availability of rapid pregnancy test, an essential supply for the early start of prenatal care.