Prenatal Assistance: the care performed and the SUS user´s opinion

Abstract

The result of good prenatal care is the reduction of maternal and perinatal morbidity. This study objectives were to identify the care provided to pregnant women in the prenatal care and their opinion about this service. This is a quantitative, prospective and descriptive study performed with 169 mothers who have recently given birth in a school hospital in São José do Rio Preto in the state of Sao Paulo, from July to September 2008. Data were collected from the prenatal care portfolio and an interview transcribed into an Excel 2003 spreadsheet, analyzed the average and standard deviation, and compared the questions of pregnant women by means of the Chi square test and the Kruskal –Wallis test. The level considered of significance was p < 0.05. It was found that 24.9% were teenagers, 87.0% had a partner; 100% had prenatal care, 80.4% started it in the first quarter, 78.0% had six or more appointments and 86.3% the laboratory tests recommended by PHPN; 77.2% did not participate in the groups of pregnant women; 78.1% had issues that could not be solved; 43.2% suggested that the health care team should provide better service with more attention. It can be concluded that the prenatal care is within that determined in the PHPN, but mother´s education, one of the main objectives of the program, presented failure, since the women were unable to clarify their doubts during the prenatal period, and did not participate in a pregnant women group. Also, the need of better attention at the time of consultation was observed. It is necessary to intensify education in the prenatal care. Thus, health professionals, mainly nurse must be aware of these pregnant women´s needs.