[Contraceptive choices and experience of sexuality: a comparison between sterilized and non-sterilized women in a metropolitan area of southeastern Brazil].

A cross sectional study involving 357 women, 174 of them sterilized and 183 non-sterilized, with a view to comparing their sexual and reproductive behaviour, was undertaken. The questionnaire was based on previous focus group discussions with both women and men, to find out the best way to approach related questions. The results show that sterilized women-who are older and more often have steady partnerships than non-sterilized women-fulfil traditional gender roles more closely than the others. Furthermore, no sterilized woman had used the condom in the month prior to the interview. It is suggested that public messages for the prevention of the spread of the HIV, sexually-transmissible disease and cervical cancer should target women who have been sterilized for the purpose of increasing the use of the condom in accordance with specific strategies.