Between the search for assistance and its effectiveness: the peregrination of pregnant and postpartum women with Maternal Near Miss

Abstract

This mixed-method and sequential exploratory study aims to identify patterns related to the trajectory of pregnant and puerperal women who evolved to risk situations, from arrival in a first care service to admission to a tertiary maternity hospital. The quantitative phase analyzed 1,703 medical records and hospitalization records of women assisted in three tertiary maternity hospitals in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza, Ceará, from 2010 to 2019. The qualitative phase was conducted from January to September 2020 with 14 women survivors of Maternal Near Miss (MNM), using Schütze’s Autobiographical Narrative Interview. The findings reveal how delays related to professionals and the health system contributed to the pilgrimage of pregnant and postpartum women and, consequently, to the MNM cases. The peregrination of these women is associated with problems in the structures of the Care Network and the services. Thus, it becomes necessary to use tools to monitor the quality of the service provided by health professionals and to provide well-established care processes, physical structures, and the healthcare networks that support the follow-up of these processes.