Title not available in English

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to identify the standards for reproductive behavior expounded by the Brazilian magazines Querida and Capricho, addressed to teenage girls, in order to analyze how these publications contribute toward better informing their readers regarding sex-related matters and reproductive health. Content analysis was performed on the issues of these magazines between November 1996 and December 1997, concentrating on three aspects of reproductive health: STDs/AIDS, contraception, and abortion. Results suggest that both Querida e Capricho fulfill a latent demand for information regarding sexuality, contraception and reproductive health. Yet the content of the information provided is often incomplete and received in a fragmented form by their readers. Although the magazines correspond to many aspects of the expected behavior, the model suggested by Querida promotes the idea of a more passive girl, in comparison with that suggested by Capricho, which has a less conservative orientation.