Care from the perspective of midwives from the Amazon: a descriptive study

Abstract

Problem:  geography and difficulty of access to health care contribute to maternal and neonatal mortality in the North and Northeast of Brazil. Aim: to identify the care arrangements used during labor and birth by midwives from the Amazon. Method:  15 midwives from the cities of Manaus and of Vila de Lindoia/Itacoatiara region took part in two focus groups held between December 2015 and March 2016. Data analysis focused on three cores of meaning and the use of narratives. Results:  most of the arrangements designed to assist women occurred in cities in the inner regions of the state of Amazonas, Brazil. The midwives’ narratives were based around three core sets of meanings: Complicity and Recognition; Midwife Memories, and Labor and Birth. Conclusion: midwives build a logic for care centered around women. It is an extensive and creative practice, available to sustain life during and after the birth.