[The Brazilian Ministry of Health's Program for Humanization of Prenatal and Childbirth Care: preliminary results].
This article evaluates the implementation of the Brazilian Ministry of Health's Program for Humanization of Prenatal and Childbirth Care using data generated by the SISPRENATAL/DATASUS database from the Unified National Health System. From its beginning in June 2000 until December 2002, 3,983 municipalities joined the Program, and 71% of participating municipalities (3,183) reported their health care activities, constituting a database with 720,871 women. Nearly 20% of the women had six or more prenatal visits, and approximately half of them had the postpartum follow-up visit and required lab tests performed in 2002. In addition, 41% of the women had been vaccinated against tetanus. The number of HIV antibody tests was twice that of syphilis during the two-year period. Only a small percentage of women (2% in 2001 and 5% in 2002) received the entire set of prenatal and childbirth care services. The low percentages attest to the need for permanent evaluation aimed at improving quality of care and guaranteeing both high-quality maternal and perinatal results and the inalienable right of women to safe care and well-being during pregnancy and delivery.
Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia, Ministério da Saúde, Brasília, Brazil. suzanne.jacob@saude.gov.br
Suzanne Jacob
SJ
Serruya
José Guilherme
JG
Cecatti
Tania di Giacomo do
Td
Lago
D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000592:standards*; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards; D015397:Program Evaluation