Post-partum consultation: what leads women to seek this care?

Abstract

The study focuses on the identification of reasons that facilitate the return of women to postpartum consultation. This is a descriptive exploratory study with qualitative approach, conducted with 15 women who underwent prenatal care in a Family Health Unit in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pernambuco, Brazil. Data were collected in 2010 through semi-structured interviews and handled in accordance with Bardin's principles of content analysis. Among the reasons that prompted the respondents to return to the postpartum consultation, the primary reasons were for the welfare of the child, the feeling of gratitude and welcoming during the prenatal period. Therefore, the interviewees recognized the postpartum consultation as a means of preventing injuries/sickness and promoting their health as well as the newborn's.