Sônia Lansky1, Bernardo J Oliveira2, Eliane R M Peixoto3, Kleyde V Souza4, Luísa M M Fernandes5, Amélia A L Friche4. 1. Department of Health, Belo Horizonte City Hall, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. 2. School of Education, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. 3. School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. 4. School of Nursing, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. 5. School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To increase knowledge and promote cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and to lower rates of cesarean and unnecessary interventions during childbirth in Brazil via the Senses of Birth (SoB) exhibition. METHODS: The SoB intervention targeted 22 621 participants in three Brazilian cities in 2015. The effects of the exhibition in knowledge, perceptions, and preferences regarding childbirth were analyzed in a multi-method study. Pre- and post-exhibition survey responses of 17 501 (77.0%) visitors, 1947 (8.6%) non-pregnant women, and all pregnant women (n=1287) were collected at the exhibition. A follow-up survey was completed by 555 (43.0%) postpartum women who had participated at SoB while pregnant. Univariate analyses were used to compare before and after changes. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in knowledge about normal birth, varying from 10.0% to 25.0% among general visitors (P<0.001) and 27.3% to 42.0% among pregnant women (P<0.001). Perceptions and preferences for normal birth also changed, reaching 83.0% of general visitors and 87.4% of pregnant women. CONCLUSION: SoB was found to effectively improve knowledge about and preference for normal birth. Scaling-up the intervention might contribute to cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and might decrease the rate of unnecessary cesarean and premature birth in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE: To increase knowledge and promote cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and to lower rates of cesarean and unnecessary interventions during childbirth in Brazil via the Senses of Birth (SoB) exhibition. METHODS: The SoB intervention targeted 22 621 participants in three Brazilian cities in 2015. The effects of the exhibition in knowledge, perceptions, and preferences regarding childbirth were analyzed in a multi-method study. Pre- and post-exhibition survey responses of 17 501 (77.0%) visitors, 1947 (8.6%) non-pregnant women, and all pregnant women (n=1287) were collected at the exhibition. A follow-up survey was completed by 555 (43.0%) postpartum women who had participated at SoB while pregnant. Univariate analyses were used to compare before and after changes. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in knowledge about normal birth, varying from 10.0% to 25.0% among general visitors (P<0.001) and 27.3% to 42.0% among pregnant women (P<0.001). Perceptions and preferences for normal birth also changed, reaching 83.0% of general visitors and 87.4% of pregnant women. CONCLUSION: SoB was found to effectively improve knowledge about and preference for normal birth. Scaling-up the intervention might contribute to cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and might decrease the rate of unnecessary cesarean and premature birth in Brazil.
Authors: Luísa M M Fernandes; Sônia Lansky; Bernardo J Oliveira; Amélia A L Friche; Christine T Bozlak; Benjamin A Shaw Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2020-05-05 Impact factor: 3.007