CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE OBSTETRIC NURSE DURING NATURAL CHILDBIRTH

Abstract

The birth process represents a unique experience in a woman’s life, requiring qualified, humanized care centered on her needs. This study aimed to analyze the performance of the obstetric nurse in natural birth care, with emphasis on the care practices developed and their impacts on the parturient’s experience. This is an integrative literature review with a qualitative approach and descriptive and exploratory design, conducted in the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and Google Scholar databases, with publications from 2020 to April 2026, in the Portuguese language. After screening, 20 articles were selected for detailed analysis. The results were organized into three categories: care practices of the obstetric nurse in natural birth assistance; the obstetric nurse’s contribution to the autonomy and protagonism of the parturient; and the impacts of the obstetric nurse’s performance on the woman’s experience during childbirth. The analysis showed that this professional plays a strategic role in reducing unnecessary interventions, promoting non-pharmacological methods for pain relief, and strengthening women’s autonomy. Women assisted by obstetric nurses reported greater satisfaction, safety, and confidence during labor. It is concluded that obstetric nursing is essential for the consolidation of a humanized care model, requiring continuous investment in professional training and the implementation of public policies that guarantee women’s protagonism in the birth process.