CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A GROUP OF PREGNANT

Abstract

This text brings the experience of a university extension project in settling a group of pregnant women in a suburban community. The objective of the project was to promote an exchange experience between undergraduate students and pregnant women in regard to popular and technical knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Based on the demands of the community and the importance of university preparation programs for childbirth, the group of pregnant women in the Community Mary of Nazareth, through the Interdisciplinary Program of Action for Social Development and Health Care - Joao Pessoa – PB was organized. The project was developed in two main stages: 1) health education, referenced by the Popular Education, 2) relational body approach through therapeutic exercises. Since the beginning, many difficulties were observed. The limited presence of the women delayed the process of consolidating the group and the application of activities, which had to be rescheduled for the context. In this sense, the dialogue proved to be an important tool for integrating the group. We observed over the months that the pregnant women were more prepared for the changes that this stage, for the delivery and for the postpartum care than expected. They have contributed to the increase of social support and to the development of a critical posture regarding the health system, in which they are inserted.