NURSE ASSISTANCE FOR WOMEN'S PRENATAL IN THE BRAZILIAN PRISON SYSTEM

Abstract

The number of women incarcerated in Brazil has increased exponentially in recent decades, concomitantly with the needs of these citizens in the environment where they serve their sentences. Among these details, issues involving women's health are mentioned, especially those related to pregnancy and the postpartum period of women in the Brazilian Prison System (SPB). In this scenario, the professional nurse plays an important role in prenatal care and continued care. Given this, the present study establishes the following problem: What are the challenges encountered in nursing professional assistance in the case of prenatal care for women during pregnancy at SPB? The general objective was defined as: Analyzing the conditions of nurse assistance in prenatal care for women in SPB. The specific objectives seek to contextualize prenatal care as a right to health for women and children; understand the current context of the female prison population and the right to health; present the conditions of nurse assistance to pregnant women in Brazilian prison units. To this end, methodological procedures of qualitative bibliographic review were used, involving investigation in Google Scholar databases, magazines and scientific articles in addition to legal support for pregnant women. The results showed that although comprehensive health care for pregnant women and children is a constitutional right and attributed to the Brazilian public authorities, this has been carried out in an unhealthy manner in its general context. The panorama of female imprisonment reveals a lack of adequate structure, insufficient professional care, lack of safety for pregnant women and the accompanying health team, psychological helplessness and discrimination. This situation makes it difficult for the nursing team to provide excellent holistic humanitarian care, which is so necessary in this moment of vulnerability.