Sterilization in Honduras: assessing the unmet demand

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Reproductive Health
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Access to voluntary sterilization services is crucial for reproductive autonomy.
• Disparities in healthcare infrastructure can significantly impact the availability of essential medical procedures.
• Understanding service availability is key to improving maternal healthcare outcomes in developing regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the availability of sterilization services at two distinct hospitals in Honduras.
• To identify potential barriers to accessing sterilization post-childbirth.
• To assess the impact of facility quality on service provision.

Main Methods:

• Surveying approximately 7,000 women post-childbirth regarding their desire for sterilization.
• Comparing sterilization rates between Hospital Materno Infantil (Tegucigalpa) and Hospital Leonardo Martinez (San Pedro Sula).
• Assessing sterilization status four months postpartum and at discharge.

Main Results:

• 58% of women desiring sterilization at Materno Infantil and 79% at Leonardo Martinez were not sterilized within four months postpartum.
• Immediate sterilization at discharge was significantly higher at Materno Infantil (23%) compared to Leonardo Martinez (4%).
• A considerable gap exists in the fulfillment of sterilization desires, with Leonardo Martinez showing lower service availability.

Conclusions:

• Hospital Leonardo Martinez demonstrated significantly lower availability of sterilization services compared to Hospital Materno Infantil.
• The disparity in service availability may be linked to the poorer quality of facilities at Hospital Leonardo Martinez.
• Improving healthcare infrastructure is essential to ensure equitable access to voluntary sterilization services for women in Honduras.