[Evaluation of antenatal peregrination in a sample of postpartum women in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1999/2001].

The access to obstetric care in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was evaluated in this study. The aim of this article was to determine the social, demographic and obstetric factors associated with the antenatal search for health services, in a sample of 6,652 postpartum women. It was observed that 1/3 of patients have to search for services in more than one hospital, not uncommonly in 3 or more. It is important to consider that only 1/5 of these patients are transferred by ambulance. The factors associated with this peregrination were: place of residence, birth weight, age, skin color, marital status and residence in places where garbage is not picked up. There was no association with schooling; Kotelchuck modified index, obstetric risk, water source and residence in slums.