Black women's childbirth assistance in a countryside hospital in Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, there is a limited number of studies that consider color as a possible factor of increased vulnerability of health losing and analyze morbidity regarding the color/race of the people, especially those that address reproductive health. Studies conducted in recent years have highlighted important differences between the rates of maternal mortality in white, mulatto and black women. These differences are likely a result of the lack of access to health and/or poorer quality of care services provided for black women. There are few studies that analyze prenatal care and childbirth considering the color of women, especially in small municipalities in the poorest regions of the country. This study aims to describe the assistance in puerperal cycle of pregnancy of black women residing in the city of Icatu, Maranhão. This is an exploratory and descriptive study developed with black women who gave birth at the city's hospital. Twenty-six women who agreed to participate in the research were interviewed. Their age ranged from 10 to 39 years, with 50% with 20-24 years. Most women were in a stable relationship, 46.2% reported sexual initiation before 15 years and 53.8% between 16 and 20 years. We found that the majority began prenatal care in the first quarter of pregnancy period and had six or more visits during its course. All the black women and most of the mulatto women had iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. They would like to receive a more proper, caring and welcoming treatment in childbirth.