Principais barreiras comunicacionais enfrentadas pela mulher surda durante o trabalho de parto

Abstract

Introduction: Childbirth is a unique moment in the lives of all women, and is one that involves great vulnerability. In this scenario, communication becomes essential to ensure that the wishes and rights of these women are guaranteed. However, deaf pregnant women, because they do not communicate predominantly through verbal language, experience a deficit in professional-patient communication that can interfere with the quality of care provided and, consequently, the way these women experience this moment. Objective: To identify the main communication barriers faced by deaf women during labor. Methodology: This is a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study carried out with eight deaf women belonging to the Bilingual Institute for Qualification and Reference in Deafness, the Pestalozzi Apprenticeship Program and the Orthotics and Prosthetics sector of the Pestalozzi Association of Maceió, Alagoas. Data collection was carried out between June and September 2024 through the application of a semi-structured interview mediated by the Brazilian Sign Language interpreter. All deaf women reported that, due to communication barriers, there was no effective communication with nursing and medical professionals throughout the pregnancy cycle, from prenatal care to the delivery room. In childbirth care, among the main communication barriers identified, the following stood out: the lack of knowledge of professionals about Brazilian Sign Language, the absence of a professional interpreter in the hospital context, the companion as the main interlocutor in communication and the use of a mask as an impediment to orofacial reading. Given the scenario, in an attempt to promote communication with the deaf woman, the professionals used gestures/mimics and writing in Portuguese; however, these strategies did not prove to be effective in establishing effective communication. Conclusion: The lack of effective communication between professional and patient has not only been shown to affect deaf women's ability to understand the dynamics of childbirth, but has also been shown to interfere with their ability to experience it autonomously. In this sense, it is necessary for professionals to be properly trained in the use and dissemination of sign language so that deaf women can have their basic right to access comprehensive and equal health care assured, in order to ensure that they experience labor and birth in a positive way.