Conhecimentos de gestantes: cuidados realizados na gestação e cuidados com o recém nascido

Abstract

The prenatal period is a time of physical and psychological preparation for childbirth and motherhood and, as such, it is a time of intense learning and an opportunity for health team professionals to develop education as a dimension of the care process, considering the subjects as active in caring for their health, in all cycles of life. Thus, characterizing the knowledge of pregnant women attended in prenatal care at a Family Health Unit (USF) in a city in Bahia about self-care and newborn care is important for transforming the health education actions of these subjects. Thus, the objectives were: to characterize the knowledge of pregnant women attended at a family health unit regarding self-care and newborn care and to outline the sociodemographic and reproductive profile of these subjects. This work is part of the PIBEX project “Health education for pregnant women and companions during the pregnancy-puerperal process - care and autonomy of the subject”. This study is characterized as a quantitative approach study with random sampling, whose research universe is all pregnant women who received prenatal care at two Family Health Units in the city of Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia, in August and September 2013, totaling 60 pregnant women. The sample consisted of 30 pregnant women who were given the data collection instrument and agreed to participate in the intervention project. The analysis was performed based on the categorization of data using simple statistics, where the results were tabulated in the Excel program and presented in the form of tables and graphs represented by frequency and percentage, and thus analyzed in light of the current literature, from a gender and comprehensive perspective. The results showed that in relation to women's knowledge of prenatal aspects, they demonstrated that they knew most of their routines, such as the start and end times of consultations, the tests that should be performed, and the medications and vaccines that should be taken. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the importance and needs of these. Thus, women demonstrate that they only follow what is recommended by health professionals, obeying their guidelines, but are not aware of the need for actions and procedures. We conclude that it is necessary to qualify/inform pregnant women so that they have sufficient support to deal with the influence of culturally believed erroneous practices and thus not compromise the care process. In addition, the practice of training subjects is fundamental for their recognition as participants in the care process.