The silence in severe perinatal asphyxia in term infants: mothers and health professionals discourse - DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v8i1.7777

Abstract

The perinatal asphyxia is a serious problem of public health. It affects a high number of babies who die or survive with sequels. The objective of the study was to understand the meaning of silence of health professionals and mothers about asphyxia neonatal in term infants. This is a descriptive research with qualitative focus carried out from July to September 2007 with 41 professionals of a pediatric hospital and 20 mothers of children that suffered perinatal asphyxia. We used the interview and focal group and apprehended the main motives of silence of these subjects as fear, transference of guilt, impotence, negligence and discredit. The results also show the professional difficulties and the different occurrences that compromise the quality of perinatal assistance and prevent a healthy birth. Thus, there is a need to join efforts and use legal mechanisms to reduce the perinatal asphyxia and produce a care with the family as focus, reducing their suffering.