PRENATAL CARE CONDUCTED IN THE FAMILY HEALTH STRATEGY: THE MAIN CONCERNS OF PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

The prenatal period aims to ensure the development of pregnancy, allowing for the birth of a healthy newborn without compromising maternal health. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the main concerns raised by pregnant women during low-risk prenatal care provided by nurses in the Family Health Strategy. This is a descriptive, exploratory study with a quantitative data approach, conducted from July to September 2018, involving 80 pregnant women receiving care at the 6 Basic Health Units (BHUs) that make up the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in a municipality in the interior of Goiás, Brazil. The municipal population is nearly entirely covered (93.43%) by the FHS, contributing to improved access to prenatal care for pregnant women. From the perspective of the surveyed pregnant women, the majority of prenatal consultations are conducted by FHS doctors. However, the use/completion of tools such as the pregnancy card is not a consistent practice in all consultations, and they report not receiving guidance that is considered minimal by national health authorities.