Analysis of births attended by nurse midwives under the perspective of humanization of childbirth

Abstract

Objective: Analyze births attended by nurse midwives relating their practice to the policy of humanization of childbirth. Methods: Descriptive, retrospective, quantitative study based on documentary analysis of 745 births attended by nurse midwives during the year of 2011 in a municipal maternity from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Results: The first-time mothers represent 44,16% of the women in labor. The recurrent interventions were the administration of oxytocin and the amniotomy. The dorsal horizontal position occurred in 12,89% of childbirths. The incidence of episiotomy was 15,52%. Among those women not submitted to episiotomy, 36,42% remained with intact perineum. Only one case of severe perineal laceration occurred. The neonatal asphyxia (Apgar < 7) occurred in 0,55% of childbirths. Conclusion It was highlighted the importance of monitoring the labor by nurse midwifes that values and put into practice the recommendations of the Health Ministry regarding the humanization of childbirth.