BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (Dec 2023)

Health professionals’ perceptions of planned home birth care within the Brazilian health system

  • Jannaina Campos Beviláqua,
  • Laena Costa dos Reis,
  • Valdecyr Herdy Alves,
  • Lucia Helena Garcia Penna,
  • Silvio Éder Dias da Silva,
  • Andressa Tavares Parente,
  • Fabianne de Jesus Dias Sousa,
  • Bianca Dargam Gomes Vieira,
  • Audrey Vidal Pereira,
  • Maura Eduarda Sousa Fernandes,
  • Diego Pereira Rodrigues

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-06161-9
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Background The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in its opinion of the Committee on Midwifery Practice, points out that planned home birth is a woman's and family's right to experience, but also to choose and be informed about, their baby's place of birth. The aim of this study was to understand obstetric nurses' perceptions of planned home childbirth care within the framework of the Brazilian obstetric model. Method A qualitative study, with Snowball Sampling recruitment, totaling 20 obstetric nurses through semi-structured interviews between September 2022 and January 2023, remotely, using the Google Meet application and the recording feature. After the data had been collected, the material was transcribed in full and subjected to content analysis in the thematic modality with the support of ATLAS.ti 8.0 software. Results Obstetric care at home emerged as a counterpoint to hospital care and the biomedical model, providing care at home based on scientific evidence and humanization, bringing qualified information as a facilitator of access and financial costs as an obstacle to effective home birth. Conclusion Understanding obstetric nurses' perceptions of planned home birth care in the context of the Brazilian obstetric model shows the need for progress as a public policy and for strategies to ensure quality and regulation.

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