Factors intervening in the childbirth experience: a mixed-methods study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the childbirth experience focusing on the intervening factors and on the delivery method. METHOD: A sequential and explanatory mixed-methods study guided by the World Health Organization document for positive childbirth experiences. The participants were puerperal women in a maternity teaching hospital from inland São Paulo (Brazil). The first quantitative stage involved descriptive analysis with Poisson regression of 265 answers to the "Termômetro da Iniciativa Hospital Amigo da Mulher e da Criança" ("Women- and Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Thermometer") questionnaire. The second stage, qualitative, thematically analyzed the interviews conducted with 44 puerperal women who took part in the first stage. Data integration was by connection. THE RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The analysis by connection showed that among the factors that restricted the positive experience, C-section was predominant (61.9%), understood as an option due to fear of pain, the treatment modality and previous traumas. Restrictions referring to the presence of a companion (99.6%), not having privacy (83%), disrespectful situations (69.5%), too many touches (56.9%) and the absence of skin-to-skin contact (55%), among others, potentiated fear, loneliness, concern, shame, the perception of disrespect and insecurity with the assistance provided. The promoting factors were as follows: choosing the companion (95.4%) for collaborating in the safety perception, not having infections (83.9%), having continuous team monitoring (82.2%) and pain relief methods (78.9%), which were valued by the women. CONCLUSION: The intervening factors that promoted positive experiences were related to clinical and protocol-related issues and to service availability. The restrictive factors were associated with excess interventions, deprivation of rights and of choice, absence of privacy and restriction referring to the presence of a companion. Women with a normal postpartum period felt more insecure and disrespected when compared to those subjected to C-sections, whose choices were considered, although they had lower prevalence of skin-to-skin contact. There is an urgent need to apprehend women's experiences and turn them into actions that guarantee their lives in a safe and respectful way.

Skin-to-Skin Contact in the Third Stage of Labor and Postpartum Hemorrhage Prevention: A Scoping Review.

INTRODUCTION: Literature supports numerous benefits of skin-to-skin contact for neonatal adaptation to extrauterine life and bonding/attachment, but few studies explore the effects of skin-to-skin contact on maternal outcomes. This review aims to map the evidence on skin-to-skin contact in the third stage of labor for postpartum hemorrhage prevention. METHODS: Scoping review, which covered stages recommended by the Institute Joanna Briggs, including studies from the PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, using the descriptors "Postpartum hemorrhage", "Labor stages, third", "Prevention" and "Kangaroo care/Skin-to-skin". RESULTS: 100 publications on the subject found, 13 articles met the inclusion criteria, with 10,169 dyads were assessed in all studies. Publications from 2008 to 2021 were mostly written in English and designed as a randomized controlled trial. Skin-to-skin contact was effective and significant in: reducing the duration of the third stage of labor; placenta delivery; uterine contractility and physiological involution; absence of atony, decreasing blood loss with lower rates of erythrocyte and hemoglobin drop; reducing the need for synthetic oxytocin and/or ergometrine to control bleeding; and reducing changing pads per period and length of stay. DISCUSSION: Skin-to-skin contact was considered an effective, low-cost, and safe strategy, with positive effects already established in the literature for infants and extremely favorable results in postpartum hemorrhage prevention cases, being highly recommended in assistance for the dyad. Open Science Framework Registry ( https://osf.io/n3685 ).

Parents' hope in perinatal and neonatal palliative care: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of a life-limiting condition of a child in the perinatal or neonatal period is a threat to parental hopes. Hope is an interactional and multidimensional construct, and in palliative care, it is a determinant of quality of life, survival, acceptance and peaceful death. OBJECTIVE: To map scientific evidence on parents' hope in perinatal and neonatal palliative care contexts. METHOD: a scoping review theoretically grounded on Dufault and Martocchio's Framework, following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodological recommendations. Searches were performed until May 2023 in the MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases. The searches returned 1341 studies. RESULTS: Eligible papers included 27 studies, most of which were carried out in the United States under a phenomenological or literature review approach. The centrality of women's perspectives in the context of pregnancy and perinatal palliative care was identified. The parental hope experience is articulated in dealing with the uncertainty of information and diagnosis, an approach to which interaction with health professionals is a determinant and potentially distressful element. Hope was identified as one of the determinants of coping and, consequently, linked to autonomy and parenthood. Cognitive and affiliative dimensions were the hope dimensions that predominated in the results, which corresponded to the parents' ability to formulate realistic goals and meaningful interpersonal relationships, respectively. CONCLUSION: Hope is a force capable of guiding parents along the path of uncertainties experienced through the diagnosis of a condition that compromises their child's life. Health professionals can manage the family's hope by establishing sensitive therapeutic relationships that focus on the dimension of hope. The need for advanced research and intervention in parental and family hope are some of the points made in this study. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: https://osf.io/u9xr5/ .

Antenatal care as a risk factor for caesarean section: a case study in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal care is an important tool to prevent complications and decrease the incidence of maternal and antenatal morbidity and mortality. In Brazil, quality, access, and coverage of antenatal care are described as insufficient. Consequently, high rates of caesarean section, congenital morbidities such as syphilis, maternal and early neonatal mortality occur, as well as obstetric violence and dissatisfaction with healthcare. It is important to reflect on health disparities in antenatal care. This study aimed to carry out a critical analysis of antenatal care in one city of São Paulo state in Brazil. METHODS: A case study was performed, structured in a descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological study and two qualitative studies. Data for the epidemiological study was obtained from the Informatics Department of the Unified Health System (DATASUS) of Brazil, which was processed in the Epi-info v software 7.2. and treated descriptively and by the Mantel-Haenszel or Fisher's exact tests. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 pregnant women and 8 nurses in the primary healthcare service of one city in São Paulo. The qualitative data analysis was based on thematic content analysis. RESULTS: The data revealed a limited quality of antenatal care. More than six antenatal visits increased the probability of a caesarean section by 47% and babies born vaginally had a lower Apgar score. There was little participation of nurses in antenatal care and women described it as "a quick medical appointment", limited by protocols, based on procedures and insufficient in dialogue. Antenatal care appeared to be fragmented and permeated by challenges that involve the need for change in management, performance, and ongoing training of professionals, as well as in the guarantee of women's rights. CONCLUSIONS: Caesarean section was statistically related to the number of antenatal care visits. Interactions between professionals and pregnant women were poor and resulted in dissatisfaction. There is an urgent need to connect health indicators with the findings from professionals and women's experiences to improve the quality of antenatal care.

COVID-19 and pregnancy: A scoping review on pregnancy characteristics and outcomes.

AIM: The study aim was to map clinical characteristics and the evolution of pregnancies in pregnant women with confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: Searching four databases, studies were investigated that described the evolution of pregnancies in women diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection through laboratory tests. A scoping review was undertaken, including 35 articles published in English. Two pairs of independent researchers synthesized the data. RESULTS: Most studies were case studies or case series and had a low risk of bias. A predominance of cases was found in women over the age of 30 years who got infected in the third term of pregnancy and who had comorbidities. The prematurity index varied with the heterogeneity of the samples, and the cases of abortion occurred in combination with severe forms of infection. Caesarean section deliveries predominated, indicated mainly by respiratory decompensation caused by infection. Most women were discharged. CONCLUSION: Based on the reviewed studies, the profile and evolution of pregnant women infected with COVID-19 could be evaluated.

The satisfaction of the normal delivery: finding oneself. / Satisfação no parto normal: encontro consigo.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the satisfaction women experience during the normal delivery. METHODOLOGY: Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study, developed during January and February of 2017, from interviewing twenty women that were satisfied with their natural delivery, residing on the countryside of Sao Paulo. The Symbolic Interactionism and the Thematic Content Analysis support this study. RESULTS: The main theme "Normal delivery as a means to find oneself" developed through three thematic units that report the satisfaction in the normal delivery: "Decision for normal delivery", "Childbirth with welcoming support", "Violence: it is not all roses". The satisfaction has been correlated to the accomplishment of the dream of giving birth, welcoming support of Doulas/health professionals and the presence of a companion/family members during the process, but it also reveals labors marked by invasive, imposing and unwelcoming experiences. CONCLUSIONS: The empowerment granted and felt by the woman during the normal delivery experience reinforces the urgency of investments to promote sociocultural transformations that concern childbirth in Brazil.

(Un)receptiveness in interactions with professionals: experiences of parents of children with retinopathy of prematurity.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of health professionals' receptiveness on parental care of children with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHOD: A qualitative study developed under the theoretical framework of Symbolic Interactionism and using a narrative research methodology. Six women and three men, being parents of children with retinopathy of prematurity were individually interviewed in depth. RESULTS: From the scope of information, emotions and their rights, the parents experienced receptiveness from some professionals and unreceptiveness from others. The predominance of unreceptive attitudes in the parental narratives originated the following analysis themes: Informational (un)receptiveness, Emotional (un)receptiveness, and (Un)receptiveness of rights. CONCLUSION: The study supports human and comprehensive healthcare in the context of retinopathy of prematurity by pointing out the interactive process with health professionals as a potential stressor of parental care. The results signal a nuclear of attitudinal changes and reinforce challenges to the child and family-centered approach. OBJETIVO: Analisar a influência do acolhimento do profissional de saúde no cuidado parental junto ao filho com retinopatia da prematuridade. MÉTODO: Estudo qualitativo desenvolvido sob o referencial teórico do Interacionismo Simbólico e metodológico da pesquisa de narrativas. Foram entrevistados em profundidade e individualmente seis mulheres e três homens, pais de crianças com retinopatia da prematuridade. RESULTADOS: Os pais vivenciam, nos âmbitos informacional, emocional e de direitos, acolhimento com alguns profissionais e destrato com outros. A predominância da postura de desacolhimento nas narrativas parentais deu origem aos temas de análise: (Des)acolhimento informacional, (Des)acolhimento emocional, e (Des)acolhimento de direitos. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo oferece subsídios ao cuidado humano e integral em saúde no contexto da retinopatia da prematuridade ao apontar o processo interativo com os profissionais de saúde enquanto potencial estressor do cuidado parental. Os resultados sinalizam núcleos de mudanças atitudinais e reforçam desafios à abordagem centrada na criança e família.

[Experience of family members providing care for HIV-exposed children: beginning of the trajectory]. / Experiência de familiares no cuidado à criança exposta ao HIV: o início da trajetória.

During and after pregnancy, mothers with HIV can undergo treatment that is capable of preventing vertical transmission (VT) to their babies. The purpose of this study was to analyze the experience of family members that provide care for children whose mothers have HIV, to reduce the risk ofVT, with emphasis on the beginning of this trajectory. This study was based on the qualitative approach and Symbolic Interactionism was adopted as a theoretical framework. A total of 36 family members participated in the study, all of whom were carers of children aged up to 18 months and waiting for confirmation of the HIV diagnosis. Data were collected in a hospital in north-eastern Brazil, between December 2012 and February 2013, and examined by means of content analysis. Child care began during pregnancy, when the possibility of the child having HIV was expected. Some had previous experience in providing care for exposed children. Understanding the early trajectory of care will help find ways to provide better support for carers during the trajectory of diagnosis confirmation.

Home visit to premature and low birth weight newborns: nurse's experience report.

OBJECTIVE: To report the structures of the experience of nurse's home visits to premature and low birth weight newborns. METHOD: This is a descriptive study of the experience report type, structured on the experience of the nurse authors in the development of 48 home visits in a city in the state of São Paulo and its microregion between August 2020 and 2021 with eight mothers of premature and low weight newborns. RESULTS: The guiding documents "Home visit for families with preterm and low birth weight newborns" and "Strategy of guiding questions for home visits" were created and used to promote open narratives from parental caregivers about caring for at-risk newborns, creating a relational space aimed at joint construction. CONCLUSION: The documents used have favored home visits, helping nurses to establish professional bonds and build relational space through dialogue when conducting their activities in the home environment.

[Children's chronic disease:family needs and their relationship with the family health strategy]. / Doença crônica da criança: necessidades familiares e a relação com a estratégia saúde da família.

The purpose of this study was to learn the perception that families of children with a chronic disease make of their relationships with the Family Health Unit (FHU). This qualitative study was performed using symbolic interactionism as the theoretical ground and narrative inquiry as the method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven families of children with chronic disease, enrolled in the FHU of a region with high social vulnerability, in Sdo Paulo state, Brazil. Results showed that the family's relationship with the FHU is influenced by elements from their experience and trajectory, and that their experience as a family of a child with a chronic disease is strongly marked by their relationship with the health care services. This has great influence on the responses of the family, thus requiring a systematic and committed engagement of the health system in relieving their suffering, beyond merely treating the disease.

[Continued care for families of children with chronic diseases: perceptions of Family Health Program teams]. / Acompanhamento de famílias de crianças com doença crônica: percepção da equipe de Saúde da Família.

The objective of this study is to characterize how the Family Health Strategy teams in Brazil perceive their role to provide continued care to families of children with chronic diseases. This was a qualitative study that used symbolic interactionism as its theoretical framework, with content analysis for thematic categorical analysis. Focus groups with three Family Health Strategy teams were used for data collection, with a total of 32 study participants. The results were organized into three thematic categories: 1) singularities of families that live with children with chronic diseases; 2) team, family and Family Health Strategy; and 3) limitations of care . The teams' perception is that the design of the Family Health Strategy encourages access to the family experience, allowing the recognition of its specificities. Further, the data reveal team limitations regarding their capacity to provide care, and the need for investments in articulation with different social services, sectors, and equipment.

[The perceptions of families with children having chronic diseases and their relationships with healthcare professionals]. / Percepções da família da criança com doença crônica frente às relações com profissionais da saúde.

The prevalence of chronic disease in childhood has increased, placing families in constant contact with health professionals. In such situations the relationship with health professionals has an important role. Few scientific studies address this theme, in spite of its being highlighted as fundamental for effective interaction. The aim of this study was to characterize how the family of a child with a chronic disease perceives its relationship with health professionals. Twenty caregivers for children with chronic diseases were interviewed. The theoretical and methodological frameworks were, respectively, symbolic interactionism and thematic content analysis. The analytical process revealed four themes: role of the caregiver, stressful relationships, services and professionals, and seeking welcoming relationships. The outcomes of this interactional process, which show an incongruity of expectations and behaviors between professionals and families, are poor and generate feelings of abandonment. These can be eased through listening and understanding by other families in similar situations.

Searching for human connection to transcend symbolisms in pediatric palliative care.

OBJECTIVES: to present a theoretical model for the interactional context of health professionals and families of children and adolescents under palliative care. METHODS: qualitative study based on the theoretical frameworks of Grounded Theory and Symbolic Interactionism. Ten palliative care professionals took part in this study through semi-structured interviews employing snowball technique from 2020 to 2021. RESULTS: the comparative data analysis resulted in the theoretical model "Searching for human connection to transcend symbolisms in pediatric palliative care". It reveals symbolic elements that substantiate the construction of a collaborative context integrating two phenomena: "Overcoming boundaries and intertwining paths" and "Embracing suffering to weave meaningful experiences". Symbolisms in palliative care guide the behavior of families and professionals, which makes them the key factor to be managed. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: symbolisms and suffering continually integrate the interactional experience of professionals. Empathy and compassion are fundamental elements to enable their connection with families.

Circle of culture in supporting the identity process of adolescents: an action research.

OBJECTIVE: To report and discuss the experience of the Circle of Culture in a school space, with attention to the social identity of adolescents. METHOD: Action research, conducted under the assumptions of the Circle of Culture, from August to December 2019. Participants were 16 adolescents, enrolled in Elementary School, in a state public school, in the rural district of a city of São Paulo. Data collection took place through photographic records, participant observation and field diary. RESULTS: The relations of friendship were the central agenda of the Circles of Culture when dialogues about their structuring and influence on the identity construction were developed. CONCLUSION: Circles of Culture mediated by health professionals in the school setting have the power to problematize the reality of each adolescent's life and, simultaneously, dialogue about the common, an aspect that empowers identity projects.

Quantification of blood loss for the diagnosis of postpartum hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: to compare the effectiveness of different diagnostic methods to estimate postpartum blood volume loss. METHODS: a systematic review of effectiveness according to PRISMA and JBI Protocol. Searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and CINAHL, with descriptor "Postpartum Hemorrhage" associated with keyword "Quantification of Blood Loss". Tabulated extracted data, presented in metasynthesis and meta-analysis was applied to quantitative data. To assess risk of bias, JBI Appraisal Tools were applied. RESULTS: fourteen studies were included, published between 2006 and 2021. Quantification of loss by any method was superior to visual estimation and is highly recommended, however the studies' high heterogeneity did not allow estimating this association. CONCLUSION: the studies' high heterogeneity, with a probable margin of error given the uncontrolled factors, indicates the need for further studies, however quantification proved to be effective in relation to visual estimate. PROSPERO registration CRD 42021234486.

Fear of COVID-19 when experiencing pregnancy or childbirth in the pandemic: what are the associated factors?

OBJECTIVE: to identify factors associated with fear of COVID-19 among women who experienced pregnancy or childbirth during the pandemic. METHODS: a cross-sectional study, nested within a prospective cohort, using an online survey, from August 2021 to February 2022, based on descriptive data analysis. RESULTS: of the 431 participants, 52.8% were postpartum women and 20.1% were pregnant women. With regard to fear of COVID-19, a mean score of 20.46 was obtained (moderate fear). The highest fear scores were present in women whose newborns were admitted to hospital in neonatal critical units (p=0.032), and the lowest among those covered by supplementary health (insurance) (p=0.016). CONCLUSION: among pregnant and postpartum women, high fear of COVID-19 translated into the possibility of having newborns admitted to hospital in a critical unit. The importance of supporting actions to support pregnant/postpartum women's mental health in relation to COVID-19 or other threats that may influence the neonatal outcome stands out.

Breastfeeding prevalence in newborns of mothers with COVID-19: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: to compare exclusive breastfeeding prevalence versus artificial feeding in newborns of mothers with COVID-19. METHODS: a systematic review of prevalence, according to JBI. Searches in PubMed®, Embase, CINAHL, LILACS and Web of Science™ databases in August 2021. Cross-sectional, longitudinal or cohort studies were selected, without language and time limitations that showed breastfeeding prevalence or that allowed calculation. RESULTS: fifteen articles published in 2020 and 2021, cohort (60%) or cross-sectional (40%) were analyzed. The average of exclusive breastfeeding in mothers with COVID-19 was 56.76% (CI=39.90-72.88), and artificial breastfeeding, 43.23% (CI = 30.99 - 55.88), without statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: despite the recommendations for maintaining breastfeeding, there was a reduction worldwide, when compared to periods prior to the pandemic. With advances in science, these rates have improved, showing the impact of evidence on practices. As limitations, study sources are cited. It is recommended to carry out new studies. PROSPERO registration CRD42021234486.

Effectiveness of individualized counseling on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding: study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, parallel, and open clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the benefits of breastfeeding, early weaning is a reality, so less than 50% of children worldwide and in Brazil are on exclusive breastfeeding in the sixth month of life. A strategy to counteract this scenario is breastfeeding counseling. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of individualized counseling by nurses trained in breastfeeding counseling, on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, compared to standard care. METHODS: Multicenter, randomized, parallel, and open clinical trial, with primiparous women aged over 18 years, hospitalized in rooming-in wards at participating centers and hemodynamically stable, aware, and oriented, who had a single-fetus pregnancy and gave birth, regardless of the type of delivery, with live child, gestational age of 37 to 42 weeks and birth weight greater than 2500 g. The women will be initially approached in rooming-in wards and, upon consent to participate in the study, will be allocated through randomization by blocks composed of eight participants in two groups: intervention and control. The randomization lists will be organized by a central without involvement with the study, which will manage the allocation groups and be prepared in the Randon® program. Women allocated to the intervention group will receive breastfeeding counseling by trained nurses, and those in the control group will receive standard care at the center participating in the study. DISCUSSION: The results can contribute to breastfeeding by evidencing possible exclusivity and duration of the counseling trained nurses provide. TRIAL REGISTRATION: REBEC RBR-4w9v5rq (UTN: U1111-1284-3559) ( https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4w9v5rq ). Posted on March 20, 2023.

Nurses and health care for gay adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze nurses' statements about health care for gay adolescents. METHOD: qualitative study, anchored on the Thematic Analysis of Clarke and Braun, with adoption of Symbolic Interactionism as a theoretical framework, since it favors the understanding of the relationship between behaviors, interactions, and social meanings. Twelve nurses recruited using the snowball sampling technique were remotely interviewed via the Google Meet® video-conferencing app. RESULTS: four themes were elaborated throughout the comprehensive-interpretative process: "Gay adolescents, agendas, and relation with health;" "The gay adolescent's family and care;" "Relationship with gay adolescents in care," and "Limits to nursing care for gay adolescents." CONCLUSION: the statements denounce stigmas and symbols derived from cisheteronormativity as intervening in the relationship and indicate the urgency of investing in the intersubjective encounter with gay adolescents and their families in a horizontal, affective, and empathic relationship, with chances of favoring public defense of the right to health. There are comments on the nurses' attitude and qualification of care for this population. KEYPOINTS: (1) Tendency towards "de-subjectifying" objectification in health practices. (2) Hegemony of cisheteronormative logic as a limitation to care. (3) Sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as stigmas attached to gay adolescents. (4) Family and health care for homosexual adolescents: opportunities and obstacles. (5) The limits and powers of nursing to enable equity in care for gay adolescents.

Adolescent pregnancies and adherence to puerperal consultation. / Gestações na adolescência e adesão à consulta puerperal.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the profile of pregnancies and prevalence of adherence to puerperal consultation among adolescent puerperal women compared to non-adolescent puerperal women served in an outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital in the rural area of Minas Gerais. METHOD: cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of puerperal women; non-probabilistic sample, by convenience; adolescent pregnancy - dependent variable; sociodemographic, clinical and obstetric - independent variables. It employed its own instrument, tested by means of a pilot test. Prevalence ratios and confidence intervals were calculated; chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were applied, considering a significance level of 5%, and Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: we interviewed 121 puerperal women, of which 18.2% (22) were adolescents, and observed among them low educational level (p<0.001); fewer pregnancies with pathologies (p=0.016); predominance of primiparous women (p<0.001), and higher rates of normal delivery (p=0.032). The prevalence of adherence to puerperal consultation was 34.7% and 31.8% for adolescents. There were no differences regarding adherence and age of puerperal women. CONCLUSION: adolescents did not present negative obstetric and neonatal outcomes, although a lower educational level was observed. Association was found between early age and absence of diseases during pregnancy and higher rates of normal vaginal deliveries. Adherence to puerperal return visit was slightly lower, but without statistical significance.(1) Adolescent puerperal women had low educational level. (2) Association between early age and absence of diseases during pregnancy. (3) There were higher rates of normal vaginal deliveries among adolescents. (4) Adolescents did not present negative obstetric and neonatal outcomes. (5) There were no differences regarding adherence and age of puerperal women.