"I AM NO LONGER MYSELF, WOMAN”: EXPERIENCES OF ATYPICAL MOTHERHOOD AND FEMALE CARE WORK

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences related to gender inequality faced by mothers in caring for children with neurodevelopmental disorders who use Primary Health Care (PHC) services in Fortaleza, Ceará. This is a qualitative, exploratory research conducted in a capital city in northeastern Brazil, within the territory area of a Primary Health Care Unit, using a municipal public school as its setting. Participants were ten mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The results reveal intense physical, emotional, and social overload, fragile institutional support networks, precarious living conditions, and deepening gender inequalities, all exacerbated by socioeconomic vulnerability. It can be concluded that atypical motherhood constitutes a significant public health issue, requiring intersectional policies that recognize care as a collective responsibility and promote gender equity and social justice.