Maternal Education Program of the Basic Area of Health of the Vendrell: perceptions and needs of the pregnant women.

Identifier:  TFM:578

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM578

Authors:  Sánchez Trullà, Mònica

Abstract:
The Maternal Education (ME) program is an educative area that promotes a healthy lifestyle, motivations and habits to ease the gestation, birth and the breeding processes. Studies have shown that ME should be in a constant process of review, transformation and adaptation depending on people´s needs and the continuously changing world that we live in. This generates an interest to explore and investigate the insights and needs of expecting women in relation to ME in the current climate. This research has been carried out applying a qualitative methodology through a phenomenological perspective, to gain a deep understanding of the perceptions of expecting women regarding their own interaction with the ME program. Participant observations, in-­‐depth interviews and WhatsApp conversations are the techniques used to gather the information. The goal of this study is to describe the experiences of women that participate in the ME sessions at the Basic Health Area in El Vendrell. In particular the aim is to identify the perceived effects, strengths and deficiencies of the program and propose changes to the planning and development of ME sessions as a result of the analysis. The last goal of the study is to promote knowledge that will help to improve and adapt the functionality of ME for the real needs of expecting women. The results have shown that ME has been perceived as useful during birth. A particular strength is shown by women’s empowerment as a strategy to promote health. Midwives have also received positive reviews from the program. It has been observed that partners have a lack of interaction and need to deepen their knowledge of the process to get through the breeding and postnatal stages. Proposals have been put forward to change the ME program based on its significant potential with the aim to improve and overcome its limitations.