Page 27 - IJPS-10-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Prenatal care in Santa Catarina, Brazil

were lost. Thus, 237 women participated in the study Table 1. Socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral
between the months of November 2021 and April 2022. profile of women assisted at the São José Regional Maternity
The mean age of the study population was 27.4 ± 6.7, Hospital, Santa Catarina (n=237)
ranging from 14 to 43 years. Criteria n %
In relation to sociodemographic data (Table 1), during Age (in years)
interviews, 52.3% of participants identified their skin 11 – 19 23 9.70
complexion as white and 28.7% as brown. However, these 20 – 34 169 71.30
data were recorded in only 49.4% of the patients’ booklets. 35 – 43 45 19.00
Information on education level was absent in 29.5% of
the prenatal booklets. A total of 54.4% of the respondents Education (in years)
reported having begun high school, corresponding to 9 0 – 8 31 13.10
– 11 years of education. Regarding marital status, 53.2% 9 – 11 129 54.40
reported being in a common-law marriage, while 24.5% ≥12 77 32.5
were married. Skin color
According to booklet records, 8% of the pregnant White 124 52.30
women were smokers; however, there was no record of this Black 33 13.90
information for 24.9% of patients. When questioned, 16.5% Brown 68 28.70
admitted to smoking during pregnancy, with 11% continuing Yellow 9 3.80
to smoke after diagnosis (Table 1). In terms of alcohol Indigenous 3 1.30
consumption, 45.1% of patients reported consuming Income (in minimum wage)*
alcoholic beverages before pregnancy, with 8.4% continuing <1 70 29.50
alcohol consumption after diagnosis (Table 1).
1 – 2 73 30.80
The average gestational age at the beginning of prenatal >2 94 39.70
care was 10.1 (±5.8) weeks, and the average number of Own a house
health visits was 9.22 (±3.3). According to booklet records, Yes 120 50.60
20.7% of women planned the pregnancy, while 37.6% did No 117 49.40
not have this data filled in. Regarding clinical-obstetric
procedures, weight and BP were documented in over 90% Marital status
of booklets (Table 2). Common law marriage 126 53.20
Married 58 24.50
When considering compliance with the MoH, 77.2%
of women began prenatal care before 12 weeks, and 87.3% Single 50 21.10
had more than six prenatal visits (Table 2). It was found Divorced 3 1.30
that when advancing in the prenatal care period, there Widow - -
was a tendency toward a reduction in supplementary Smoking before pregnancy
examinations. In the first trimester, the MoH routine Yes 39 16.45
recommendations were completed in 70% of prenatal No 198 83.55
care, reaching 38% in the third trimester (Table 2). When Smoking during pregnancy
evaluating São José municipal guidelines (São José, 2015), Yes 26 11.00
39.7% of women completed the routine indicated in the No 211 89.00
first trimester of pregnancy and 18.6% in the third trimester
(Table 2). Alcohol use before pregnancy
Yes 107 45.10
According to data from the pregnant women’s booklet No 130 54.90
(Table 2), double adult immunization (dT) was completed Alcohol use during pregnancy
in 43.5% of patients, while 37.6% had no record of this
datum. Regarding the hepatitis B vaccine, 57.4% of patients Yes 20 8.40
completed the vaccination schedule. Information on iron No 217 91.60
and folic acid supplementation was completed for 77.6% of Note: *Current minimum wage=brl 1,212.00.
patients (Table 2).
According to the questions posed to women (Table 2), physiological and pathological pregnancies, healthy habits,
the guidelines recommended by the MoH, namely on delivery, and breastfeeding, were fully covered in 17.7% of

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 21 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.1422