Changes in perceived knowledge about childbirth among pregnant women participating in the Senses of Birth intervention in Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Senses of Birth (SoB) is a health education intervention in Brazil that aims to reduce unnecessary cesareans in the country by providing information on reproductive rights, benefits and risks of childbirth, and use of intrapartum evidence-based practices (EBP) which are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve childbirth outcomes and satisfaction. This study evaluates the impact of the SoB on pregnant women's perceived knowledge about normal birth (NB), cesarean, and use of EBP. METHODS: 1287 pregnant women answered a structured survey immediately after their visit to the intervention, between March 2015 and March 2016. To estimate the potential impact of the intervention on women's perceived knowledge, and possible associations between sociodemographic characteristics and perceived knowledge, statistical analyses were performed, including paired T-tests, ANOVA, and logistic and linear regressions. RESULTS: The mean score (MS) of perceived knowledge after the intervention was higher than the MS before experiencing the intervention for all three knowledge domains: Normal Birth (MS Before = 3.71 x MS After = 4.49), Cesarean (MS Before = 3.54 x MS After = 4.26) and EBPs (MS Before = 3.14 x MS After = 4.14). The results suggest that perceived knowledge increased more for low-income women (B = 0.206; p < 0.001 for EBP), women without private health insurance (OR 2.47, 95% CI: 1.49-4.09 for NB), with private prenatal care (OR 2.42, 95% CI: 1.59-3.66 for NB), experiencing their first pregnancy (OR 1.92, 95% CI: 1.31-2.82 for EBP; OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.03-1.84 for NB; OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.03-1.84 for cesarean), and in their first or second trimester (OR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.13-2.39 for EBP; OR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.11-1.97 for NB; OR 1.85, 95% CI: 1.40-2.41 for cesarean). CONCLUSION: The study showed that participation in the SoB was associated with an increase in perceived knowledge among Brazilian pregnant women. The intervention gains relevance considering the lack of evidence of the impact of non-clinical interventions to reduce unnecessary cesareans in middle and low-income countries.

The Senses of Birth intervention to decrease cesarean and prematurity rates in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To increase knowledge and promote cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and to lower rates of cesarean and unnecessary interventions during childbirth in Brazil via the Senses of Birth (SoB) exhibition. METHODS: The SoB intervention targeted 22 621 participants in three Brazilian cities in 2015. The effects of the exhibition in knowledge, perceptions, and preferences regarding childbirth were analyzed in a multi-method study. Pre- and post-exhibition survey responses of 17 501 (77.0%) visitors, 1947 (8.6%) non-pregnant women, and all pregnant women (n=1287) were collected at the exhibition. A follow-up survey was completed by 555 (43.0%) postpartum women who had participated at SoB while pregnant. Univariate analyses were used to compare before and after changes. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in knowledge about normal birth, varying from 10.0% to 25.0% among general visitors (P<0.001) and 27.3% to 42.0% among pregnant women (P<0.001). Perceptions and preferences for normal birth also changed, reaching 83.0% of general visitors and 87.4% of pregnant women. CONCLUSION: SoB was found to effectively improve knowledge about and preference for normal birth. Scaling-up the intervention might contribute to cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and might decrease the rate of unnecessary cesarean and premature birth in Brazil.

Pós-Graduação, saberes e formação docente: uma análise das repercussões dos cursos de mestrado e doutorado na prática pedagógica de egressos do Programa de Pós-Graduação da Faculdade de Educação da UFMG (1977-2006) / Post-Graduation, knowledges and teacher education: an analyse of the impacts of the master and doctorate levels in the pedagogical practice of the egresses from the Post-Graduation Programa at UFMG (1977-2006)

Este artigo analisa repercussões do mestrado e do doutorado na vida profissional de 305 egressos do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação da FaE-UFMG, no período 1977-2006. Por meio de um questionário, obtiveram-se informações relativas às atividades profissionais dos egressos. Os resultados foram analisados por decênios e mostram que a docência no ensino superior é a ocupação majoritária dos egressos. Os doutores concentram-se na academia e em instituições de pesquisa; os mestres, em instituições de ensino superior, na educação básica e em atividades autônomas. As repercussões na escola apontam a ampliação da aprendizagem dos aspectos que constituem a prática, mas são tímidas as especificações de resultados. Mestres e doutores avaliam positivamente a formação em pesquisa e a sua passagem pela Faculdade de Educação e consideram a pós-graduação um lugar de formação do pesquisador e de produção de conhecimento. Quanto ao objetivo de formação docente, muitas questões ficam em aberto, especialmente aquelas relativas à relação ensino-pesquisa.

This article analyzes the impacts of studying for master and doctorate levels on the professional life of 305 graduates from FaE-UFMG Education Program, from 1977 to 2006. Based on a questionnaire applied to the teachers, we obtained information concerning the professional activities of the graduates. The results were sorted out by decades and demonstrate that teaching in higher education is their main occupation. Most PhDs work in academic institutions, while masters teach in institutions of higher education, basic education and autonomous activities. We report on the impact on their classroom and we noticed that they realize and take consciouness many aspects that constitute their practices, although shy specificities were found. Masters and Phds. evaluate positively the research training and their quick passage through the Faculty of Education. They assess a postgraduate course as an opportunity to do researches and achieve knowledge production. As for their search for teacher education, many questions remain open mainly those concerning the relation between teaching and research.