OBJECTIVES: to investigate women's access to contraceptive methods. METHODS: inquiry through a self-applied survey of a random sample (divided into geographic regions and population size). The study comprised all 5507 Brazilian municipalities. RESULTS: an outstanding number of municipalities place a high priority on family planning in relation to geographic region and size. As for contraception availability, 79.5% of 5358 municipalities do not provide diaphragms, and only 6.6% meet over 75% of the demand. In contrast, more than 75% of the demand for injectable contraceptives is met in 13.4% of 5314 municipalities. Seventy two and nine percent (72.9%) of all Brazilian municipalities does not offer fertility treatment, and only 5.9% of the municipalities provide contraceptives to over 75% of the women seeking this service. CONCLUSIONS: findings indicate inconsistency between education and routines of family planning, quantitative and qualitative access restrictions to contraceptive methods and insufficient care for infertility. This scenario limits women freedom of choice.
Family planning services; Women's health; Contraception
