title: Childbirth experience according to a group of Brazilian primiparas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to understand the meaning of the childbirth experience for Brazilian primiparas in the postpartum period.
  
  
  METHODS
  a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used to derive the two themes that emerged from the discourses.
  
  
  METHODS
  participants were recruited at four primary-level health-care units in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. After providing written informed consent, an appointment was made for an interview at the participants' homes.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 primiparas in the postpartum period, aged 15-26 years old, who attended the health-care units to vaccinate their infants and test for phenylketonuria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  two thematic categories emerged from the interviews: the meaning attributed to childbirth (with four subcategories) and perceptions of care. Among the participants, the childbirth experience was marked by the 'fear of death' and 'losing the child'. The pain of giving birth was expected, and the moment of childbirth was associated with pain of high intensity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  childbirth is considered synonymous with physical and emotional suffering, pain, fear and risk of death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  this research indicates the need to break the current mechanistic model of care on which health professionals' actions are based. Care during childbirth must be guided by the foundation that women are the subjects of childbirth actions, in an attempt to emphasise actions that grant them with the autonomy and empowerment needed to experience the situation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal-Infant and Public Health Nursing, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing (EERP-USP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Márcia Spanó
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Cristine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Homsi Jorge Ferreira
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Flávia Azevedo
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001938:Brazil; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult