New childbirth practices and the challenges for the humanization of health care in southern and southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The humanization of care in childbirth and the choice of performing cesarean or vaginal delivery have long been discussed in Brazil and worldwide. The complexities of the factors surrounding this issue range from the quality of obstetric care through to the significance of childbirth for women. A new proposal for humanization of delivery was introduced by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the objectives of which were to make changes to the current system of delivery practices regarding, access, care, quality and resolution, in order to make it a more human and less technical experience. The Sofia Feldman Hospital, in Belo Horizonte-MG, is a benchmark in the adoption of best practices in care during childbirth, according to the Brazilian National Health Agency. However, for the humanization to become a national reality, there are still many challenges to be overcome within the public health system and the private partnerships. The most important problems are related with the current education system that continues to prepare health professionals to act in an interventional way, focused on the physician figure. This study aims to provide an overview about the different humanized care practices focused on pregnancy and childbirth, conducted in southern and southeastern Brazil.