Prenatal care in the Brazilian public health services.

OBJECTIVE: To verify regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care in Brazilian public health services and associated perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Birth in Brazil was a national hospital-based survey conducted between 2011 and 2012, which included 19,117 women with public-funded births. Regional differences in socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, as well as differences in access and quality of prenatal and birth care were tested by the χ2 test. The following outcomes were assessed: spontaneous preterm birth, provider-initiated preterm birth, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, Apgar in the 5th min < 8, neonatal and maternal near miss. Multiple and non-conditional logistic regressions were used for the analysis of the associated perinatal outcomes, with the results expressed in adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care among users of public services are still evident in Brazil. Pilgrimage for birth associated with all perinatal outcomes studied, except for intrauterine growth restriction. The odds ratios ranged between 1.48 (95%CI 1.23-1.78) for neonatal near miss and 1.62 (95%CI 1.27-2.06) for provider-initiated preterm birth. Among women with clinical or obstetric complications, pilgrimage for birth associated with provider-initiated preterm birth and with Apgar in the 5th min < 8, odds ratio of 1.98 (95%CI 1.49-2.65) and 2.19 (95%CI 1.31-3.68), respectively. Inadequacy of prenatal care associated with spontaneous preterm birth in both groups of women, with or without clinical or obstetric complications. CONCLUSION: Improvements in the quality of prenatal care, appropriate coordination and comprehensive care at the time of birth have a potential to reduce prematurity rates and, consequently, infant morbidity and mortality rates in the country.

Prenatal care in the Brazilian public health services / Assistência pré-natal na rede pública do Brasil

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To verify regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care in Brazilian public health services and associated perinatal outcomes METHODS Birth in Brazil was a national hospital-based survey conducted between 2011 and 2012, which included 19,117 women with public-funded births. Regional differences in socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, as well as differences in access and quality of prenatal and birth care were tested by the χ2 test. The following outcomes were assessed: spontaneous preterm birth, provider-initiated preterm birth, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, Apgar in the 5th min < 8, neonatal and maternal near miss. Multiple and non-conditional logistic regressions were used for the analysis of the associated perinatal outcomes, with the results expressed in adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS Regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care among users of public services are still evident in Brazil. Pilgrimage for birth associated with all perinatal outcomes studied, except for intrauterine growth restriction. The odds ratios ranged between 1.48 (95%CI 1.23-1.78) for neonatal near miss and 1.62 (95%CI 1.27-2.06) for provider-initiated preterm birth. Among women with clinical or obstetric complications, pilgrimage for birth associated with provider-initiated preterm birth and with Apgar in the 5th min < 8, odds ratio of 1.98 (95%CI 1.49-2.65) and 2.19 (95%CI 1.31-3.68), respectively. Inadequacy of prenatal care associated with spontaneous preterm birth in both groups of women, with or without clinical or obstetric complications. CONCLUSION Improvements in the quality of prenatal care, appropriate coordination and comprehensive care at the time of birth have a potential to reduce prematurity rates and, consequently, infant morbidity and mortality rates in the country.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Verificar desigualdades regionais no acesso e na qualidade da atenção ao pré-natal e ao parto nos serviços públicos de saúde no Brasil e a sua associação com a saúde perinatal. MÉTODOS Nascer no Brasil foi uma pesquisa nacional de base hospitalar realizada entre 2011 e 2012, que incluiu 19.117 mulheres com pagamento público do parto. Diferenças regionais nas características sociodemográficas e obstétricas, bem como as diferenças no acesso e qualidade do pré-natal e parto foram testadas pelo teste do χ2. Foram avaliados os desfechos: prematuridade espontânea, prematuridade iniciada por intervenção obstétrica, baixo peso ao nascer, crescimento intrauterino restrito, Apgar no 5º min < 8, near miss neonatal e near miss materno. Para a análise dos desfechos perinatais associados, foram utilizadas regressões logísticas múltiplas e não condicionais, com resultados expressos em odds ratio ajustada e intervalo de confiança de 95%. RESULTADOS As desigualdades regionais ainda são evidentes no Brasil, no que diz respeito ao acesso e qualidade do atendimento pré-natal e ao parto entre as usuárias dos serviços públicos. A peregrinação para o parto se associou a todos os desfechos perinatais estudados, exceto para crescimento intrauterino restrito. As odds ratios variaram de 1,48 (IC95% 1,23-1,78) para near miss neonatal a 1,62 (IC95% 1,27-2,06) para prematuridade iniciada por intervenção obstétrica. Entre as mulheres com alguma complicação clínica ou obstétrica, a peregrinação se associou ainda mais com a prematuridade iniciada por intervenção e com Apgar no 5º min < 8, odds ratio de 1,98 (IC95% 1,49-2,65) e 2,19 (IC95% 1,31-3,68), respectivamente. A inadequação do pré-natal se associou à prematuridade espontânea em ambos os grupos de mulheres CONCLUSÃO Melhorar a qualidade do pré-natal, a coordenação e a integralidade do atendimento no momento do parto têm um impacto potencial nas taxas de prematuridade e, consequentemente, na redução das taxas de morbimortalidade infantil no país.

Labor and birth care by nurse with midwifery skills in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The participation of nurses and midwives in vaginal birth care is limited in Brazil, and there are no national data regarding their involvement. The goal was to describe the participation of nurses and nurse-midwives in childbirth care in Brazil in the years 2011 and 2012, and to analyze the association between hospitals with nurses and nurse-midwives in labor and birth care and the use of good practices, and their influence in the reduction of unnecessary interventions, including cesarean sections. METHODS: Birth in Brazil is a national, population-based study consisting of 23,894 postpartum women, carried out in the period between February 2011 and October 2012, in 266 healthcare settings. The study included all vaginal births involving physicians or nurses/nurse-midwives. A logistic regression model was used to examine the association between the implementation of good practices and suitable interventions during labor and birth, and whether care was a physician or a nurse/nurse-midwife led care. We developed another model to assess the association between the use of obstetric interventions during labor and birth to the personnel responsible for the care of the patient, comparing hospitals with decisions revolving exclusively around a physician to those that also included nurses/nurse-midwives as responsible for vaginal births. RESULTS: 16.2 % of vaginal births were assisted by a nurse/nurse-midwife. Good practices were significantly more frequent in those births assisted by nurses/nurse-midwives (ad lib. diet, mobility during labor, non-pharmacological means of pain relief, and use of a partograph), while some interventions were less frequently used (anesthesia, lithotomy position, uterine fundal pressure and episiotomy). In maternity wards that included a nurse/nurse-midwife in labour and birth care, the incidence of cesarean section was lower. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study illustrate the potential benefit of collaborative work between physicians and nurses/nurse-midwives in labor and birth care. The adoption of good practices in managing labor and birth could be the first step toward more effective obstetric and midwifery care in Brazil. It may be easier to introduce new approaches rather than to eliminate old ones, which may explain why the reduction of unnecessary interventions during labor and birth was less pronounced than the adoption of new practices.