Using the Bologna score to assess normal delivery healthcare

Abstract

Objective: Describing the obstetric care provided in public maternity hospitals during normal labour using the Bologna Score in the city of Natal, Northeastern Brazil. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study conducted with 314 puerperal women. Data collection was carried out consecutively during the months of March to July 2014. Results: Prenatal care was provided to 95.9% of the mothers, beginning around the 1st trimester of pregnancy (72.3%) and having seven or more consultations (51%). Spontaneous vaginal delivery was planned for 88.2% women. All laboring women were assisted by a health professional, mostly by a physician (80.6%), and none of them obtained 5 points on the Bologna Score due to the small percentage of births in non-supine position (0.3%) and absence of a partogram (2.2%). A higher number of episiotomies were observed among primiparous women (75.5%). Conclusion: The score obtained using the Bologna Index was low. Thus, it is necessary to improve and readjust the existing obstetrical model.