Assessment of sexual and reproductive access and use of menstrual products among Venezuelan migrant adult women at the Brazilian–Venezuelan border

Highlights

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  Difficulties to access to sexual and reproductive services.

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  Lack of access to contraceptives mainly LARCs.

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  High rate of unplanned pregnancy.

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  Low provision of menstrual products.

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  Lack of access to sanitation facilities.

Abstract

Objective

To describe the sociodemographic characteristics, access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care, including contraceptives and to assess menstrual poverty of migrant Venezuelan adult women of childbearing age at the northwestern border between Venezuela and Brazil.

Methods

Cross-sectional study coordinated by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, conducted in Boa Vista, Roraima between January 18 and 24, 2021. We invited women aged 18 to 49 years to participate. A semi-structured self-response questionnaire was applied. The survey covered issues relating to SRH services, knowledge, access, and use of SRH services for women. We also applied a questionnaire regarding access to and quality of hygiene kits and toilets, and an open-ended question on “ what does menstruation mean to you”? We excluded illiterate women and those with amenorrhea, those who had undergone hysterectomy or tubal ligation, and those with partners who had undergone vasectomy.

Findings

The age (mean ± SD) of the 177 respondent women was 28 ± 6.8 years, 32.2% reported that they had more than three children, 38.4% referred at least one unplanned pregnancy, and 52.5% of the women indicated an intention to become pregnant in the near future. Furthermore, 40 (29.8%) women sought a healthcare service because they wanted a contraceptive method; among them, 16 did not receive the contraceptive that they chose, and 15 women wanted to use a contraceptive implant. Regarding menstrual poverty, 64 women stated that the menstrual hygiene products provided by humanitarian organizations were not enough for their needs, and 44 women claimed being unable to wash their hands anytime they wanted to.

Conclusions

The vulnerabilities of this cohort of Venezuelan migrant women in Brazil who lived mainly out of the official shelters further increase when they struggle with no knowledge of how to access SRH services, lack of provision of LARC methods, risk of unplanned pregnancy, and inappropriate access to menstrual hygiene products and sanitary services. There are several challenges to be overcome to ensure SRH care for migrant women in Brazil.