Vulnerabilities in the use of contraceptive methods among youth: intersections between public policies and healthcare

This article discusses the moments of vulnerability in the utilization of contraceptive methods in the affective-sexual relations in adolescence and youth. The analyzed material consists of 17 semi-structured interviews with young people between 18 and 24 years (9 females and 8 males) of the middle-class of the city of Rio de Janeiro that had passed though at least one episode of pregnancy during adolescence. We also discuss the recent implementation of public policies focused on the sexuality and reproductive health of adolescents and the position of health professionals with respect to this subject within the scope of the Program of Integrated Healthcare for Women, Children and Adolescents (PAISM-CA/SES-RJ). The results of the study show discontinuities in the use of contraceptive methods due to the strong gender hierarchy in the relationships between adolescents and the absence of appropriate sexual education in the family and school environments. There is little space for dealing with the sexual questions of the young in health services and schools. There are also cultural barriers that make it difficult for the society to approach the subject in a less prejudicial way, thus turning sexual initiation into a process full of silence and moral disapproval.