Religiosity, reproduction and health among underprivileged urban families

This article analyzes personal religious conversion within the context of family relations in the downscale suburbs of Recife, the capital of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. It presents the results of a qualitative research study on the meanings of conversion for the members of the family and the ensuing transformations in their reproductive behavior. Based on the empirical data above, the article ends with a discussion of issues related to healthcare services in that area, and how the local inhabitants use them.

religion; urban population; family relations; reproduction; healthcare services