Vivências de mulheres em relação à gestação, parto e puerpério durante a pandemia de covid-19

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The covid-19 pandemic brought changes in the way of life of women during the puerperal pregnancy cycle. Added to the inherent risk of the disease and the determination of social isolation, mothers who experienced the pandemic were not only affected by issues related to pregnancy and childbirth, but also by external influences that may have impacted their lives during this period. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the experiences of women in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium during the covid-19 pandemic. METHOD: Qualitative research, carried out in two reference maternity hospitals for the care of cases of covid-19, in Maranhão, Brazil, with women who had the laboratory diagnosis (RT - PCR for covid-19) confirmed, during the first wave of the pandemic, period from March 2020 to November 2020. The survey of the study population took place from September to November 2020. Data collection took place from November 2020 to May 2021, using a semi-structured interview, based on 2 instruments. The first was followed by sociodemographic and clinical data of the woman and the newborn, and the second was a semi-structured script with open questions. Content analysis was used in the thematic modality. RESULTS: There were 20 interviews that showed that, for the women in the study, receiving the news of the covid-19 pandemic was a devastating experience that caused insecurity, fear and the need to reorganize plans for childbirth. Thus, at the time of delivery and birth, problems of access to services, setbacks in guaranteeing rights and good practices already consolidated, impacted the quality of maternal and child care. Participants noticed changes in care in the hospital environment caused by fear of contamination. Soon after returning home, they reported difficulties in getting puerperal and childcare consultations, which meant interrupting health care in some cases or seeking private services. The fear of their children's exposure to the coronavirus made them restrict visits from relatives and friends, which contributed to the weakening of support networks. Hygiene measures at home were intensified. Breastfeeding was considered a fundamental care strategy, which would not cause harm if public health recommendations were followed during practice. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The search for care by women who needed obstetric care during the pandemic period was marked by difficulties, exposing and intensifying weaknesses in the health system, especially access to services and the use of good practices, negatively affecting their experiences in childbirth and in child care. The pandemic also caused changes in support networks and restructuring of traditional models of family care, which had an impact on the lives of women and children.