Luis Bahamondes

• MD; PhD
• Professor at State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)

In São Paulo, Black or Biracial, less educated, not married, and parous women still face challenges in deciding the timing and size of their families.

Objective: To determine whether intrauterine device (IUD) use is associated with a significantly increased risk of abnormal cervical cytology. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out at the University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil. Data came from medical records of 2,963 women from a family planning clinic who had undergone at...

The incorporation of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) into reproductive health strategies is crucial for enhancing access to effective contraception and reducing unplanned pregnancies (UPs). Evidence shows that even a modest shift from short-acting methods to LARCs can yield significant cost savings and improve health outcomes, both fo...

Background Communication barriers make it difficult for deaf women to access information about contraceptive methods, making them vulnerable to unplanned pregnancies. Objective To identify knowledge and attitudes of deaf women in relation to contraceptive methods. Method The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature, PROSPERO regist...

Objective: To analyse the understanding of deaf women regarding contraceptive methods. Method: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study in two referral centres for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in São Paulo, Brazil, trough years 2020-2022. Twenty-eight deaf women who use Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) were interviewed face-to-face a...

Objective: To determine practice patterns in the diagnosis and management of nongestational abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in women in reproductive years during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic in Brazil. Materials and methods: A web-based survey was conducted to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis and management of...

Introduction There are limited global data on ectopic pregnancy (EP) and molar pregnancy (MP), making it important to understand their epidemiology and management across different regions. Our study aimed to describe their prevalence for both conditions, severity of their complications and management among women in selected health facilities across...

Objectives: To evaluate improvements in laboratory markers of anaemia (haemoglobin, haematocrit, serum iron, and ferritin) in women with subjective heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) treated with the levonorgestrel 19.5-mg intrauterine device. Materials and methods: We conducted a pilot study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Universi...

Objective: We assessed whether the administration of oral ketorolac with an analgesic provides effective pain relief during placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) in nulligravid women. Methods: We conducted a double-blinded randomised trial in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Campinas Faculty of Medical Sciences, Ca...

Introduction This study aimed to provide an overview of the research landscape and to identify research gaps linking climate change events and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the negative impacts of climate change are most severe. Methods We conducted a scoping review to map...

Our objective was to study disparities in access to contraception during the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a cross-sectional study at the University of Campinas, Brazil using a Google questionnaire applied from December 2021 until February 2022, disseminated via snowball technique. The survey asked about sociodemographic characteristics and contr...

Key considerations for research into how climate change affects sexual and reproductive health and rights

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the personal experience of female obstetricians and gynaecologists (Obst/Gyns) who utilise contraceptive methods on the provision of these methods. Methods: An anonymous online web-based survey was carried out with female Obst/Gyns. The instrument contained questions about their current and previous contra...

To evaluate gene expression associated with unfavorable vaginal bleeding in users of the Etonogestrel (ENG) contraceptive implant. Prospective study involving 100 women who intended to use the ENG implant. Exclusion criteria included abnormal uterine bleeding, inability to attend a 1-year follow-up, and implant removal for reasons unrelated to vagi...

Objective We sought to develop consensus recommendations for improved measurement of contraceptive-induced menstrual changes (CIMCs) in contraceptive clinical trials to build upon previous standardization efforts. Study Design We undertook a virtual consensus-building process using a modified Delphi approach, incorporating aspects of Nominal Group...

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the predictors of acceptance and hesitancy of additional doses of any SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19) vaccine among pregnant or recently pregnant and non‐pregnant people of reproductive age and partners in Brazil. Methods We conducted an online cross‐sectional study from June 2022 to April 2023 and invited women...

Objectives To compare the efficacy, reasons for discontinuation and continuation rates of the etonogestrel (ENG)‐subdermal contraceptive implant when offered at no cost, and the basis of free choice versus short‐acting reversible contraceptive (SARC) methods including combined oral contraceptives (COCs), once‐a‐month injectables, vaginal ring, and...

Objective To evaluate gene expression associated with vaginal bleeding in the 52‐mg hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) users. Materials and Methods We conducted a prospective study involving 100 women seeking to use the 52‐mg hormonal IUD for contraception. We excluded women with a history or current condition of abnormal uterine bleeding and who...

Objective To evaluate gene expression associated with unfavorable vaginal bleeding in users of the Etonogestrel (ENG) contraceptive implant. Materials and Methods prospective study involving 100 women who intended to use the ENG implant. Exclusion criteria included abnormal uterine bleeding, inability to attend a 1-year follow-up, and implant remo...

Objective To assess menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and period poverty in a group of low‐ and medium‐income menstruating people. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted at the University of Campinas, Brazil, from January to June 2022 with 535 participants aged 18–49. For data collection, we used the abbreviated version of the WHO Quality‐...

Objective To evaluate changes in the menstrual pattern of women of reproductive age infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) or vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Methods A cross‐sectional study at the University of Campinas, Brazil using Google questionnaire applied from December 2021 through...

Abstract The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted the health systems between and within countries, and in the course of the pandemic sexual and reproductive health services were the most disrupted. Findings from high-income settings have reported significant changes in preterm birth prevalence during the pandemic period. To understand the possib...

Objective: To assess the provision of contraceptives by Brazilian obstetricians and gynaecologists (Obst/Gyns) during medical consultation and associated factors. Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted with Obst/Gyns regarding age, gender, training, method counselling about and provision of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)....

Objective: To compare the continuation rates, expulsion, and other reasons for discontinuation of the hormonal intrauterine device with 52 mg of levonorgestrel (52 mg LNG-IUD) in adolescents and adult women. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study that included 393 women in whom we placed a 52 mg LNG-IUD and followed up to 5 years. We...

Contraceptive-induced menstrual changes may impact contraceptive continuation and result in an unmet need for modern contraception. This scoping review aims to summarise the prevalence and burden of menstrual changes associated with contraceptive use, the current interventions and/or medical products used for its management, and identify barriers t...

The burden of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), the medical interventions for its treatment, and the market access to these products are three important topics needed to understand the current HMB environment in low-and middle income countries (LMICs). The aim of this scoping review is to bring these three aspects together and provide a complete over...

Objectives: To assess perimenopausal users of 52 mg levonorgestrel intrauterine devices (LNG-IUD) regarding the IUD impact after menopause. Material and methods: a cross-sectional study with users aged 40 and 49 years old, without cognitive impairment that answered a questionnaire regarding worries and benefits after the menopause due to LNG-IUD...

Objective To develop a core outcome set for heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). Design Core outcome set (COS) development methodology described by the COMET initiative. Setting University hospital gynaecology department, online international survey and web‐based international consensus meetings. Population or sample An international collaboration of...

Objective: We compared pain and the ease of insertion of two different types of intrauterine devices (IUDs; the levonorgestrel intrauterine systems 52 mg (LNG-IUS 52 mg) and the copper-bearing IUD [TCu380A]) among nulligravidas and parous women with and without caesarean delivery. Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed pain referred by women...

Pregnancy-related complications are a substantial source of morbidity and mortality among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. While the youngest adolescents (those aged 10–14) are considered to be at particularly high risk of adverse outcomes, there is little empirical data available on their sexual and reproductive health. Using a uni...

Objective To evaluate the acceptance rate of post-placental intrauterine device (PPIUD) placement during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and to to assess factors associated with PPIUD acceptance. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2020 and August 2021. PPIUDs were offered to women scheduled for caesarean delivery or ad...

A Summary Statement Ultrasonography for measurement of abdominal fat: our results suggest being a promising technique for cardiovascular risk assessment, it may show early warning signs for this very prevalent disease. Ultrasound evaluation of abdominal fat in non-obese women showed a strong correlation between body composition and anthropometric m...

Objective: To compare pain and ease of insertion of the copper 380 mm2, levonorgestrel 52 mg and levonorgestrel 19.5 mg intrauterine devices (IUDs) in Brazilian adolescents. Material and methods: We conducted a participant-blinded randomized trial at two clinics in Brazil. We enrolled 318 adolescents <19 years old in a 1:1:1 ratio from November...

Objectives To assess the occurrence of pregnancy in a cohort of women who received a copper intrauterine device (IUD), hormonal IUDs or an etonogestrel (ENG) contraceptive implant at a single‐visit practice. Methods Prospective study conducted at the University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. We obtained data from four ongoing studies in...

Purpose Our study aimed to evaluate the acceptability, adverse effects and continuation rates among adolescents who accepted the etonogestrel (ENG) subdermal implant and compared to adolescents who chose other methods during the immediate postpartum period before hospital discharge, with one year follow-up up. Materials and methods We conducted a...

Introduction: WHO has generated standardised clinical and epidemiological research protocols to address key public health questions for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. We present a standardised protocol with the aim to fill a gap in understanding the needs, attitudes and practices related to sexual and reproductive health in the context of COVID-1...

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to assess the experiences of male partners of women with endometriosis-associated pain after medical treatment in their everyday lives. Methods: We conducted a phenomenological study based on semi-structured interviews with 11 male partners of women with endometriosis-associated pelvic pain at the Departm...

Objective To characterize return to ovulation after injecting Sayana® Press (104mg/0.65mL medroxyprogesterone acetate [MPA] in the Uniject device) every four months for one year of treatment. Study Design We followed a subset of women for return to ovulation in a trial that demonstrated Sayana Press remains highly effective when the subcutaneous r...

Plain Language Summary This study aims to evaluate the sociodemographic characteristics and outcomes associated with pregnancy in Indigenous adolescents and compare them to other women who gave birth in a public hospital in Guatemala. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on four groups: Indigenous adolescents, Nonindigenous adolescents, Indige...

Introduction COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented increase in demand on health systems to care for people infected, necessitating the allocation of significant resources, especially medical resources, towards the response. This, compounded by the restrictions on movement instituted may have led to disruptions in the provision of essential services,...

Objectives. To estimate inequalities in demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods among women in Latin America and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on Brazil and Mexico, and to calculate the scenario for recovery of modern contraceptive coverage by expanding access to long-acting contraceptives (LARC) after the COVID-19 pandemic. Meth...

Background: Our objectives were to determine the knowledge and interest in apps for natural contraception among women and Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN) residents. Study design: An online survey was sent to Brazilian women to gather sociodemographic data, knowledge and interest towards fertility-awareness contraceptive methods and smartphone...

Este livro reúne trabalhos científicos relevantes em Ciências Médicas. Decidiu-se pela divisão em quatro seções: i) área básica; ii) área clínica; iii) medicina diagnóstica; iv) área cirúrgica. Pelo primeiro capítulo são abordados os significativos avanços na qualidade dos conhecimentos acerca da anatomia humana, bem como nas técnicas de preservaçã...

Purpose: We assess the awareness of Brazilian women about non-contraceptive benefits of contraceptives and compare non-health with health care providers. Material and methods: We conducted a survey in Brazil using a questionnaire administered via Google Forms asking women to respond about the awareness of non-contraceptive benefits of combined o...

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 Obst...

Objectives: To assess the reasons to use, reasons they liked, satisfaction, and possibilities of recommending it to other women of users of the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine system (LNG-IUS). Material and method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil from January to July 2021. We enrolled users...

Objective : We assessed the acceptability of subcutaneous depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate 104 mg (Sayana® Press) when injected every four months for 12 months. Study design : We assessed acceptability using questionnaires within a clinical trial to evaluate contraceptive effectiveness of Sayana® Press when the reinjection interval was extended f...

Objective: To determine knowledge, attitude, and preventive (KAP) practices towards the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic among women in reproductive age seeking to use copper or hormonal intrauterine devices (IUD/LNG-IUS). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in which we applied a questionnaire on 400 women about KAP practices on COVID-19...

Background : The public healthcare system of Roraima state, at the north-western border Brazil-Venezuela, experienced an impact due to the incoming of Venezuelan migrants and to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. After the beginning of the pandemic, the Brazilian government closed the border; however, migration continued through informal paths. Th...

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sales of modern contraceptive methods in Brazil. Methods: Monthly sales data were analysed of short-acting reversible contraceptive methods and long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods (implants and intrauterine contraception) and COVID-19 related dea...

Background Sayana Press® is a 3-monthly contraceptive injection approved by regulatory agencies in more than 40 countries worldwide. Existing effectiveness and pharmacokinetics (PK) data suggest that high contraceptive efficacy may be maintained if the reinjection interval of Sayana Press is extended from 3 to 4 months. Methods We conducted a phas...

Objectives : To characterize the relationship between serum medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) concentrations and ovulation suppression, and to estimate the risk of ovulation for investigational subcutaneous regimens of Depo-Provera® CI (Depo-Provera) and Depo-subQ Provera® 104 (Depo-subQ). Study Design : We performed a secondary analysis of two st...

Objective To evaluate Brazilian women with different body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) values who were switching from a short‐acting reversible contraceptive (SARC) to a long‐acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method in relationship to the reasons reported for switching and the LA...

Endometriosis is a pathology described since the 19th century that affects women in reproductive age. It is characterized as the presence of endometrial glandular or stromal cells outside the endometrial cavity, provoking a pathologic inflammatory response. The pathogenesis still remains uncertain. Endometriosis is a complex disease with heterogene...

Objective To assess the reasons provided by women for choosing the use of the 52 mg levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) as a contraceptive method. Methods We conducted a cross sectional study from January 2021 to August 2021 at the University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil. Women who had never used the 52 mg LNG‐IUS and were requesting...

Objectives The aims of the study were to assess the number of insertions per month of the 52 mg levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) and gauge the knowledge and opinions of health care providers with regard to some of its characteristics and the reasons why women liked using the method. Methods An online questionnaire survey was...

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, epidemiological and laboratory aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and postpartum in 16 maternity hospitals. Methods and analysis A prospective multicentre study, with five axes. First, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among women admitted for childbirth will be de...

Plain language summary Adolescent and young women (10–24 years old) are habitually a neglected group in humanitarian settings (situations of forced displacement, armed conflict, or natural disaster) and, in those contexts, they hardly have access to hygienic menstrual products, safe toilets, or water. This study provides an overview of the menstrua...

Objectives To know the experiences of Venezuelan migrant women living in shelters in Roraima state at the northwestern border between Venezuela and Brazil regarding situations of violence as part of the dynamics of everyday life. Materials and methods Data were collected in January 2020 through 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 5 to 14 Venezu...

Objective To compare the expulsion and continuation rates of the levonorgestrel (LNG) 52 mg intrauterine system (IUS) in a cohort of nulligravid and parous users. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study that included 996 participants in whom we placed an LNG‐IUS, and the participants were monitored for up to 5 years after device placemen...

Objectives: To identify the lowest dose of Depo-Provera® that, when administered off-label subcutaneously, suppressed ovulation and had a pharmacokinetic profile consistent with a 4-month contraceptive effect. Study Design: We conducted a randomized, multicenter, parallel-group study to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) o...

Purpose To analyse the effect of ulipristal acetate (UPA) as emergency contraception (EC) on the gene expression of human endometrial cell line (HEC-1A) and endometrium from fertile women treated with UPA after ovulation. Materials and methods HEC-1A cells were treated with UPA, and endometrial tissue from four healthy women was collected in cycle...

Introduction Thalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug and first choice in the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum. Given its teratogenic potential, it is essential that an effective contraceptive method is used, especially a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method. The subdermal etonogestrel (ENG)-releasing implant is an adequate metho...

Objective To compare the expulsion rates of the levonorgestrel (LNG) 52 mg intrauterine system (IUS) among women with heavy menstrual bleeding versus women using solely for contraception. Study design We conducted an audit study of 548 (8.8%) women with heavy menstrual bleeding and 5,655 (91.2%) users for contraception (comparison group) for four...

Objective Adolescent and young women (10–24 years old) are a neglected group in humanitarian settings and their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs are habitually ignored. Our study aims to assess main SRH issues affecting migrant Venezuelan adolescents and young women in Boa Vista, Roraima at the northwestern border of Venezuela‐Brazil. Me...

Background and objectives Lack of information and myths or inadequate training of health care providers in the guidance and management of contraceptives could negatively affect choice and eventually continuation rates. Our objectives were to evaluate the impact of clinical and theoretical training of health care professionals on insertion and remov...

Background Venezuela has been immersed in an economic and social crisis with a high number of migrant people. An important proportion of Venezuelan migrants have crossed the north western border Brazil-Venezuela were the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has established 13 shelters. Our objectives were to know perspectives and v...

Objective To compare the sociodemographic characteristics of users of the copper intrauterine device (Cu‐IUD) and the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) at a family planning clinic in Campinas, SP, Brazil. Methods A retrospective audit study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of new users of IUDs at the clinic of the Department...

Abstract Objective: To evaluate etonogestrel (ENG)-implant acceptance during the immediate postnatal period among adolescents and young women during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to compare variables according to choice and discuss possible implications of this measure during the pandemic period. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed. All wom...

Introduction: Our objectives were to compare the one-year follow-up clinical performance of the TCu380A intrauterine device (TCu380A-IUD) and levonorgestrel (LNG) 52mg intrauterine system (IUS) inserted at post-placental period. Material and methods: We conducted an open-label, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial, 1:1 with pregnant women a...

The use of intrauterine devices (IUDs), including the copper‐bearing device and the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) is safe among nulligravidas and adolescent girls. However, several misconceptions limit their use in clinical practice; healthcare providers are hesitant to prescribe IUDs, and several myths associated with their usage in...

Maternal mortality is unacceptably high in our region. In 2015, the Latin American Center for Perinatology and Women´s Reproductive Health (CLAP) created a regional network of institutions including 16 countries, committed to improving epidemiological surveillance and healthcare of women in a situation of abortion or near miss event, using a common...

Background Guaranteeing the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of populations living in fragile and humanitarian settings is essential and constitutes a basic human right. Compounded by the inherent vulnerabilities of women in crises, substantial complications are directly associated with increased risks of poor SRHR outcomes for disp...

(Abstracted from Contraception 2020;102:267–269) A barrier to uptake of intrauterine devices (IUDs) is fear of pain at the time of insertion. Although nulliparity is a common factor associated with pain at IUD insertion, it is often underestimated by health care professionals.

Objective To assess the safety of the levonorgestrel 52‐mg intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) in women with a history of thrombosis or coagulopathy and to evaluate bleeding patterns. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of 117 women attending a clinic between 2007 and 2019. Their sociodemographic characteristics, hematologic status, reaso...

Synopsis The need for prospective monitoring of COVID‐19 cases among pregnant women, and coordinated information‐sharing to inform pragmatic responses to the pandemic in the context of LMICs, is greater now than ever.

Objective We evaluated clinical performance when the TCu380A intrauterine device (IUD) and the levonorgestrel (LNG) 52‐mg intrauterine system (IUS) were inserted by different categories of healthcare professionals. Methods A retrospective study was conducted at the University of Campinas, Brazil. The medical records were reviewed of all women in w...

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic scenario in Africa - What should be done to address pregnant women needs? A commentary.

Background Improvements in health cannot occur without cutting-edge research informing the design and implementation of health programmes and policies, highlighting the need for qualified and capable researchers and institutions in countries where disease burden is high and resources are limited. Main body Research capacity strengthening efforts i...

Background: Meeting the Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for populations living in fragile and humanitarian settings is critical, essential as well as a basic human right. Compounded with the inherent vulnerabilities of women in crises, there are substantial complications that directly associated with increasing the risks of poor SR...

Background: Guaranteeing the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of populations living in fragile and humanitarian settings is essential and constitutes a basic human right. Compounded by the inherent vulnerabilities of women in crises, substantial complications are directly associated with increased risks of poor SRHR outcomes for dis...

Background: Guaranteeing the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of populations living in fragile and humanitarian settings is essential and constitutes a basic human right. Compounded by the inherent vulnerabilities of women in crises, substantial complications are directly associated with increased risks of poor SRHR outcomes for dis...