Abstract
Objective:
To identify the Social Representations about the home birth of women who have made this choice due to the lack of studies evaluating this phenomenon from a human, historical and social perspective.
Method:
We conducted a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, based on the Theory of Social Representations. Fourteen women who experienced at least one practice of home childbirth were interviewed in the city of Campinas-SP and region, from February to March of 2014. It was used the criterion of theoretical saturation to define the sample size.
Results:
The data revealed a social representation: my body, my choices, my childbirth. The participants were discordant with the actual institutionalized care model and look for home birth as a concrete alternative to contemplate their expectations, which are strongly underpinned by the principle of autonomy.
Conclusion:
The reflections presented contribute as inputs to the debate and reformulation of Brazilian obstetric health policies.
Keywords:
Midwifery; Home Birth; Humanized Childbirth