Postpartum women’s perception on the companion’s participation during the delivery process

Abstract

Objective: analyzing the perception of postpartum women, interned in the rooming-in at a public maternity in the interior of Bahia, about the participation of a companion during the birth process. Method: a descriptive qualitative study conducted through semi-structured interviews with ten interned mothers in the rooming-in at a public maternity in the interior of Bahia. We used the Content Analysis for data analysis. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Science and Technology (Salvador), with opinion number 0205/2008. Results: it was evidenced two categories, named: "I need a companion to feel safe myself" and "I'm scared of giving birth alone," that approach the perception of respondents about the participation of the companion in the process of childbirth as a way to ease the insecurity and fear of the delivery room. Conclusion: the involvement of the companion in this process goes through some pillars: the confidence, the physical and emotional safety of women and the fight against fear, especially in the presence of people from family life. Descriptors: humanization; the birth process; companion. RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a percepção da puérpera, internada no alojamento conjunto de uma maternidade pública do interior da Bahia, sobre a participação de um acompanhante durante o processo parturitivo. Método: trata-se de estudo descritivo e qualitativo, realizado por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com dez puérperas, internadas no alojamento conjunto de um hospital público do interior da Bahia. Para a análise dos dados utilizou-se a Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Faculdade de Tecnologia e Ciências, campus Salvador, sob o parecer de nº 0205-2008. Resultados: foram evidenciadas duas categorias, assim denominadas: “Preciso de um acompanhante para sentir-me segura” e “Tenho medo de parir sozinha”, que abordam a percepção das entrevistadas sobre a participação do acompanhante no processo da parturição como forma de amenizar a insegurança e o medo da sala de parto. Conclusão: a participação do acompanhante neste processo perpassa por alguns pilares, a saber, a confiança, a segurança física e emocional da mulher e o combate ao medo, com destaque à presença de pessoas do convívio familiar. Descritores: humanização; processo parturitivo; acompanhante. RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar la percepcion de la puérpera ingresada en el alojamiento conjunto de una maternidad pública del interior de la Bahia, sobre la participación de un acompañante durante el proceso parturitivo. Método: estudio descriptivo y qualitativo, realizado a través de entrevistas semi-estruturadas con diez puérperas, ingresadas en el alojamiento conjunto de un hospital público del interior de la Bahia. Para el análisis de los datos utilizamos el Análisis de Contenido. El estudio fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Investigación de la Facultad de Tecnología y Ciencias, campus Salvador, bajo el parecer de nº 0205-2008. Resultados: Fueron evidenciadas dos categorías, así denominadas: “Necesito de un acompañante para sentirme segura” y “Tengo miedo de parir sola”, que abordan la percepção de las entrevistadas sobre la participación del acompañante como forma de reducir la inseguridad y el miedo de la sala de parto. Conclusión: la participación del acompañante en este proceso, perpassa por algunos pilares, a saber, la confianza, la seguridad física y emocional de la mujer y el combate al miedo, con destaque a la presencia de personas de la convivencia familiar. Descriptores: humanización; proceso parturitivo; acompañante.

A Experiência Da Mulher E De Seu Acompanhante No Parto Em Uma Maternidade Pública

“…11,16 Physical area and hospital routine are often the explanations provided for why the women must stay isolated in the pre-childbirth room and childbirth room, echoing what happened in the United States years ago when aseptic rules were used to ban family members from pre-childbirth rooms. 4,17 A relationship of power is verified in regard to the communication established between the health staff and the women in labor, in which women set aside their own desires and opinions, abiding by the decisions of health workers on issues regarding their health and that of their babies, without even receiving clarification as to what is actually happening.…”

“…This person can be a friend, mother, sister, sister-in-law, mother-in-law or, most usually, the partner or husband, but normally it is a family member. 4,9 It is believed that the child's father is the ideal coach because his participation can contribute to establishing and strengthening family bonds. 10 The woman is an active protagonist of the delivery process and she has the prerogative to chose whether she wants a coach and who this coach will be.…”

“…The same study showed that women reported a fear of being alone at the time of the birth of their children and women reported that the presence of a coach was beneficial by making the delivery less stressful. 4 Isolating women in labor rooms and distancing them from their family members has been reported by women as a situation that triggers fear, which together with anxiety from being in a strange environment and negative attitudes on the part of some health providers, can change the physiology involved in labor due to the possibility of increasing substances that inhibit the synthesis of oxytocin and endogenous endorphins, essential for cervical effacement and dilatation. 4 International studies show that childbirths in which women received continuous support during labor required less medication to relieve pain and fewer C-sections and episiotomies, while the infants obtained higher Apgar scores.…”

“…4 Isolating women in labor rooms and distancing them from their family members has been reported by women as a situation that triggers fear, which together with anxiety from being in a strange environment and negative attitudes on the part of some health providers, can change the physiology involved in labor due to the possibility of increasing substances that inhibit the synthesis of oxytocin and endogenous endorphins, essential for cervical effacement and dilatation. 4 International studies show that childbirths in which women received continuous support during labor required less medication to relieve pain and fewer C-sections and episiotomies, while the infants obtained higher Apgar scores. 5 The coach is someone chosen by the womenbe they the spouse, partner, relative or someone close -and does not require any prior technical preparation because the individual is only a person with whom the mother will share her fears, a person who will minimize her anxiety and reassure her when facing the difficulties inherent to labor and childbirth.…”

“…11 Most actions are still centered on the physician and an excessive use of technology and interventions. 2,4 …”