The lived experience of the obstetric emergency: a phenomenological study with Mexican women

Abstract

This article aims to explore the experience of Mexican women in the obstetric emergency. This qualitative-phenomenological study was conducted with data collected by means of in-depth interviews with 15 women survivors of this experience, performed from January to September 2017. Obtained data were processed through discourse analysis and interpreted based on the four dimensions of the phenomenology of perception, namely: body, time, space, and relationality. Despite perceiving the complications at early stages, interviewees waited for objective symptoms before seeking for healthcare. According to them, timely treatment seeking did not imply an adequate management. Moreover, these women also reported insufficient support from both formal and informal networks in the provision of specialized treatment. Society and government must articulate strategies that empower women for the attention to obstetric emergencies, besides implementing actions that promote their self-care while guaranteeing timely and specialized care.