Medical training and abortion care from the perspective of residents from two public universities in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Abortion is a major public health issue that cuts across various specialities. This study focused on abortion care and its relatioship with the training received in Gynecology and Obstetrics and Family and Community Medicine by residents of two public Colleges in Sao Paulo. A qualitative research design was adopted consisting of the administration of in-depth interviews with 13 residents. The obstetrics and gynaecology residents reported that they relied on practical experience to provide abortion care, while the family and community medicine residents recounted that they discussed the theme and its connection with gender isssues. Clinical knowledge, the devlopment of skills and techniques, and adopting a gender-sensitive approach in training were revealed to be vital components of comprehensive abortion care.