Profile of pregnant and content of the guidelines on sings of labor to give birth

Abstract

Introduction: Prenatal care is designed to prepare for childbirth. The guidelines received in prenatal care are fundamental for a healthy life throughout pregnancy by the pregnant and her family, but there are still many shortcomings in these as educational actions. Objectives: To know the guidelines on the signs of labor to five birth performed for pregnant during prenatal care in a Basic Health Unit. Methods: Descriptive study with a quantitative approach at a Health Center in São Luís, Maranhão. For the data collection, a questionnaire was applied to a sample of 11 pregnants. Results: The majority of pregnant were 20 years of age or older, living without a partner, with full secondary education and family income between one and two minimum wages, having as their main occupation of the home. As for the onset of prenatal care, 45.4% were in the first and 36.4% in the second trimester. Regarding the number of consultations, 54.5% did not make a referral in the first quarter; 72.8% performed at least two visits in the second quarter; and only 18.2% performed the minimum of three consultations recommended by the Ministry of Health in the third quarter. In this study, only 27.3% of the pregnant women participated in any specific health education group for pregnant women. And on the signs of labor, 45.4% received orientation, in 60.0% of these the content of the guidelines was expulsion of the mucus plug, loss of amniotic fluid, regular uterine contractions. Conclusions: This study shows that guidelines on signs of labor is uncommon and are sometimes not even made during consultations. This may explain the scarcity of publications that address the theme, although there is a consensus that health education in prenatal care is essential for strengthening the autonomy of pregnant women during labor and delivery.