Therapeutic itinerary of pregnant women during COVID-19: a perspective based on healthcare systems

Abstract

Objective: to understand the therapeutic itinerary of women who experienced the gestational period during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: a descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach, conducted with 16 women who were pregnant during COVID-19. The theoretical framework used was the Health Care Systems Model proposed by Arthur Kleinman. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, which were audio recorded, fully transcribed, and submitted to content analysis as proposed by Bardin and to the IRaMuTeQ software. Results: the study included women whose ages ranged from 20 to 47 years. Most participants were White and married. Content analysis yielded three categories: 1- Main support networks during pregnancy ― family subsystem; 2- Follow-up during pregnancy ― professional subsystem; and 3- Spirituality as therapeutic support ― cultural subsystem. Conclusion: it was observed that the paths taken by pregnant women seeking healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic became even more challenging, being permeated by doubts and uncertainties brought about by the disease, as well as by new configurations of routines and services adopted by healthcare providers.