Experiências e representações sociais da maternidade no contexto da síndrome congênita do vírus Zika.

Abstract

In 2015, it was found a significant increase in the number of cases of birth of children with microcephaly in the country. From the development of research, a wide spectrum of malformations resulting from the infection of pregnant women with the virus was noted, configuring the Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome (CZVS). The literature indicates that the diagnosis of a child's congenital malformation promotes a rupture in the mother's expectations of the child. Faced with this unexpected health problem that presented itself in the lives of mothers and children, this research sought to apprehend the experience of motherhood in the context of Zika virus infection, based on the Theory of Social Representations (TRS) . Thirteen adult mothers whose children were diagnosed with CZVS participated in the research . The instrument used in data collection was a semi-structured interview, analyzed using the thematic Content Analysis approach. From this, categories and subcategories were identified, which, didactically, are presented in two thematic axes: social representations and the motherhood experience. In the first axis, the analysis of the data indicates that when describing microcephaly, mothers emphasize the clinical characteristics, above all, the head circumference below the standard deviation, represented by a small head. Seeking to understand whether mothers made a distinction between microcephaly and CZVS, it was also investigated what they understood about CZVS, and it was identified that for mothers there is no clear difference between both. However, they differentiate between microcephaly caused by Zika virus infection and microcephaly for other causes. Regarding parenting , it was found that the representational elements of motherhood demonstrate that mothers share a social representation that focuses on the idea that the mother should love her children unconditionally and take care of them. Regarding maternal and paternal practices, it was identified that among couples there is no division of activities with the child, since all activities, primarily are the mothers' responsibility. The social representations of motherhood, paternity and microcephaly guide mothers' practices and contribute to give meaning to the experience of being a mother in the context of CZVS. In the second axis, on the experience of motherhood. It was identified that the first months after the birth of the child was a very difficult moment , mainly due to the child's constant and intense crying and the lack of understanding of the cause of this crying. However, currently, mothers feel better and more capable of take care of their children. Therefore, over time there has been a reframing of the experience and identity of these women who perceive themselves as more capable and adapted to the new reality. Being a mother of a child with CZVS is having a different love for your child, a greater love, it is to selfless your life in the face of the dependency relationship established. Among the changes experienced, we can list: impossibility of working and studying, lack of time to take care of oneself, constant trips to carry out the treatment of children and restriction on the social life. The experience of motherhood of these women is crossed by difficulties in adhering to their and their children's social rights. It warns of the need to foster support networks for mothers, since the overload of care for children brings consequences to health and family relationships.