Spontaneous and voluntary fetal losses in Brazil in 1999-2000: a study of associated factors Perdas fetais espontâneas e voluntárias no Brasil em 1999-2000: um estudo de fatores associados

Abstract Despite its illegality in Brazil, about 31% of all pregnancies end in abortion. Most abor -tions are performed by unskilled personnel and under unsafe conditions, resulting in increased female mortality. This study used data from a cross-sectional represen-tative sample of 3,047 puerperal women, in 1999-2000, part of a national multicenter study on the prevalence of syphilis in Brazil. Of these, 1,838 women with at least one previous pregnancy before the reference pregnancy were included in the analysis. The outcomes studied were voluntary prior fetal loss, spontaneous prior fetal loss, and no prior fetal loss. The analysis was carried out using multinomial logistic regression. The results indicated a high number of fetal losses per woman (up to six); and 31% of the losses were voluntary. The absence of prenatal care, history of STD in the re-ference pregnancy, and absence of living children were factors that increased the odds of fetal loss. For voluntary fetal loss, being non-white, having more than one partner in the previous year, and an early age at first sexual intercourse also increased the odds of fetal loss. These data confirm the public health relevance of abortion in Brazil. Characteristics related to women´s vulnerability should be considered in family planning programs in order to reduce the number of abortions and their consequen -ces. Counseling must also be provided, targeting women with a previous abortion.