Profile of occupational therapy practice in high-risk obstetric wards and rooming-in units

Vidal, Caroline Cavalcante; Arrais, Maria Luísa de Sá Peregrino; Santos, Naianna Ribeiro Mocelin dos; Marcelino, Juliana Fonsêca de Queiroz; Albuquerque, Raquel Costa; Sales, Cíntia de Oliveira Castelo Branco; Rosas, Marina Araújo

doi:10.1590/2526-8910.cto412640501

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Original Article • Cad. Bras. Ter. Ocup. 33 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2526-8910.cto412640502 linkcopy

Profile of occupational therapy practice in high-risk obstetric wards and rooming-in units

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Introduction Pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period are phases of significant changes for both the woman and the neonate. The occupational therapist is involved with a contextualized approach to routines and occupations.

Objective To characterize the occupational therapy practice in the High-Risk Obstetric Ward and Rooming-In.

Method A descriptive, documentary-type, quantitative study conducted using occupational therapy service records in the patient chart system in 2023. Data collection used an original instrument, and analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel, SPSS, and GraphPad Prism software, utilizing the Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests.

Results A total of 308 services were evaluated. Of the records, 30 (17.5%) were during the pregnancy period, 98 (57.3%) during the postpartum period, 8 (4.7%) during both pregnancy and postpartum, 2 (1.2%) during pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care, and 33 (19.3%) during postpartum and newborn care. Of the 375 interventions, the most frequent among pregnant women was related to health management occupation (39.2%), while in the postpartum group, it was breastfeeding (33%), and for newborns, it was rest and sleep (60%). Postpartum women showed a greater need for intervention in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), while pregnant women required support in leisure and social participation occupations.

Conclusion Among various interventions, occupational therapy provides maternal-infant support, facilitating occupational performance and health care.

Keywords:
Rooming-in Care; Hospitalization; Parenting; Neonatology; Women's Health; Occupational Therapy

Characteristics	Patients
Age (years ± standard deviation)	27. 9 (± 6.7)
	N	%
Age range 10 – 14 years	1	0.6
Age range 15 – 19 years	25	14.6
Age range 20 – 24 years	36	21
Age range 25 – 29 years	53	31
Age range 30 – 34 years	30	17.5
Age range 35 – 39 years	21	12.3
Age range 40 – 45 years	5	3
Education
Incomplete elementary education	44	25.7
Complete elementary education	35	20.5
High School	76	44.4
Higher education	9	5.3
NI	7	4.1
Number of Children
Primiparous	78	45.6
Multiparous	91	53.2
NI	2	1.2
Intervention Period
Pregnancy only	30	17.5
Only postpartum	98	57.3
Pregnancy and postpartum period	8	4.7
Pregnancy, postpartum period and newborn	2	1.2
Puerperium and newborn	33	19.3
Total during pregnancy	40	18.7
Total in the puerperium	139	65.0
Total newborn	35	16.3
Intervention Period in Women Pregnant women
1st trimester	1	2.5
2nd trimester	3	7.5
3rd trimester	36	90
Birth route
Normal	32	23
Caesarea	105	75.6
NI	2	1.4
Newborn
Full-term	120	86.3
Premature	12	8.6
Age of birth not identified	7	5.1
Hospitalization for Jaundice	23	65.7
Number of interventions	375	100
Gestation	74	19.7
Postpartum	281	75
Newborn	20	5.3

Area of occupation	Gestation		Postpartum		Newborn
Intervention	N	%	N	%	N	%
ADL	10	13.5	44	15.7	-	-
Education and Training	8	80	33	75	-	-
Occupation and Activity	-	-	1	2.3	-	-
Occupation and Activity/Education and Training	2	20	10	22.7	-	-

IADL*	3	4	56	19.9	-	-
Education and Training	2	66.7	37	66.1	-	-
Occupation and Activity	-	-	3	5.3	-	-
Advocacy	-	-	1	1.8	-	-
Occupation and Activity/Education and Training	1	33.3	15	26.8	-	-

Health Management	29	39.2	79	28.1	-	-
Occupation and Activity	1	3.5	2	2.5	-	-
Education and Training	17	58.6	58	73.4	-	-
Group intervention	2	6.9	1	1.3	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Education and Training	4	13.8	17	21.5	-	-
Education and Training and Group Intervention	3	10.3	1	1.3	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Education and Training and Group Intervention	2	6.9	-	-	-	-

Rest and sleep	6	8.1	7	2.5	12	60
Education and Training	5	83.3	5	71.4	-	-
Occupation and Activity	-	-	1	14.3	12	100
Occupation and Activity and Education and Training	1	16.7	1	14.3	-	-

Work	2	2.7	1	0.4	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Education and Training	1	50	1	100	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Education and Training and Group Intervention	1	50	-	-	-	-

Leisure*	11	14.9	-	-	-	-
Occupation and Activity	6	54.5	-	-	-	-
Group intervention	1	9.1	-	-	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Group Intervention	4	36.4	-	-	-	-

Social participation *	13	17.6	1	0.4	-	-
Education and Training	1	7.7	-	-	-
Occupation and Activity	3	23.1	1	100	-	-
Group intervention	3	23.1	-	-	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Group Intervention	6	46.1	-	-	-	-

Breast-feeding	-	-	93	33	8	40
Education and Training	-	-	40	43	-
Occupation and Activity	-	-	4	4.3	8	100
Group intervention	-	-	1	1.1	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Education and Training	-	-	41	44.1	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Interventions that Support Occupations and Education and Training	-	-	2	2.1	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Education and Training and Group Intervention	-	-	2	2.1	-	-
Occupation and Activity and Interventions that Support Occupations and Education and Training	-	-	3	3.3	-	-

OCCUPATIONS	STRATEGIES
OCCUPATIONS	Gestation	Postpartum	Newborn
ADL	Performance guidelines, activity training, task adaptation, guidance and training of the companion	Performance guidelines, activity training, task adaptation, equipment adaptation, guidance and training of the companion	-
IADL	Educational groups for newborn care	Management of the support network, training in newborn care activities, guidance on early stimulation, provision of information booklets on child development	-
Health Management	Educational groups on health care, psychoeducation, family and reproductive planning, referrals to health services	Performance guidelines, activity training, task adaptation, equipment adaptation, provision of information booklets, support for newborn care in phototherapy, referrals to health services	-
Sleep and Rest	Sleep hygiene	Sleep hygiene	Neuroprotection, and multisensory stimuli to increase or decrease alertness level, bed positioning
Work	Planning for readjustment of function and routine in the postpartum period, guidance on labor rights	Planning for readjustment of function and routine in the postpartum period, guidance on labor rights, referral to social services	-
Leisure	Providing resources such as games and artistic materials, planning and cultural experiences	-	-
Social participation	Gestational painting, use of collaborative games, group activities	-	-
Breast-feeding	-	Massage, milking, support in breast management, application of tapping, creation of assistive technology, positioning adjustment, performance of translactation	Sensory stimulation to increase alertness, positioning adjustment

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Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento de Terapia Ocupacional Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, Caixa Postal 676, CEP: , 13565-905, São Carlos, SP - Brasil, Tel.: 55-16-3361-8749 - São Carlos - SP - Brazil
E-mail: cadto@ufscar.br

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[1] NI: Not identified; N: Number of patients treated. Source: Authors.