Experiências maternas no contexto da Síndrome Congênita do Zika na cidade de Campina Grande – Paraíba

Abstract

In Brazil, the Zika virus epidemic was a major challenge for Public Health, mainly due to the high prevalence of cases of congenital Zika virus (SCZv), a disease that encompasses microcephaly and other changes of the central nervous system. When analyzing the problem in an integral way, there is a gap with studies on the experiences of women, so important characters in the context of the epidemic. The objective of this research was to understand the experience of children diagnosed with SCZv and are accompanied at a specialized rehabilitation center. The theoretical contribution of health psychology was used in intersection with the psychology of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. This is a qualitative approach and has as a target audience, women who have presented symptomatology of ZIKA during pregnancy and had children with SCZv. The data were produced through workshops with dynamics of creativity and sensitivity, field diary and biosociodemographic questionnaires intended to characterize the profile of the participants. Three workshops with duration of three hours each, five women attended the workshops. When analyzing the data, as well as the annotations of the field diary, it was submitted to content analysis in thematic modality. Three major categories and eight subcategories were found. The analysis of the results revealed that the confirmation of the fetal diagnosis represented a critical moment in the maternal experience of all participants. Difficulties in experiences were directly related to external factors, as non-existent or deficient communication among professionals, women, the family and attention to the pregnancy-puerperal cycle; sensationalism of the media and professionals; lack or insufficient marital and family support; obstetric violence and precariousness of care services for children with SCZv. It was observed that the maternal experience is marked by the requirement of exclusive dedication of the mothers, causing that all had to stop working, impacting on their lives as a woman, wife, daughter, hardworking. Despite difficulties, women report satisfaction in their maternal experiences. As support of the experience, the culture, based on religiosity, was determinant for the construction of the maternity even if with an unexpected / desired outcome. Women are central characters in the context of the epidemic, yet they do not have social recognition or even government recognition of their needs. We emphasize the importance of psychosocial and economic support for women, who face all the difficulties, alone, the consequences of a serious Public Health problem.