Rights of parturients: adolescents? knowledge and that of their companion

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the knowledge of adolescents and their companions regarding their rights concerning giving birth. It is a qualitative and exploratory investigation concerning an outline of research entitled: “Humanized Attention to Adolescents´ birth”. The study took place in a Teaching Hospital in Southern Brazil, and the subjects were adolescents who gave birth in the Unified Health System in that hospital and their family members. Knowing at least one right of the parturient in the Obstetric Center was the inclusion criterion of study. Data were extracted from interviews with 10 adolescents and 36 members of their families, from July 2008 to April 2009. Data analysis was performed according to the rights described by the Humanization Program of Prenatal Care and Birth guidelines. The right to a companion at the moment of giving birth was the most frequently mentioned. It is clear that there is lack of consideration, on the part of health workers, of indications and choice of procedures applied. Furthermore, lack of awareness of obstetric services users’ rights, as well as the lack of information and conditions to meet the standards established by the Ministry of Health on the part of the institutions, prove to be the reality. This finding calls for reflection on the quality and situation of public health services in terms of assistance to the users concerning their rights, particularly pregnant adolescents in perinatal care.