The importance of health education in prenatal care

In the gestational and puerperal period, women go through a series of changes and consequent adaptation is necessary, which can generate anxiety and fear for those who experience it. One of the options for coping with this condition is the implementation of educational actions in health in order to complement prenatal care, improve the quality of life of these women and newborns and contribute to reducing maternal and child mortality. The aim of this study was to find out how pregnant women who use the Parnaíba Primary Health Care Centre view the health education they receive and its importance during prenatal care. The study was an exploratory field study with a qualitative approach and a sample of 17 pregnant women, using a semi-structured interview with open questions in January and February 2016. The results showed that the pregnant women understood the importance of these prenatal care activities and therefore attributed significant importance to them in terms of good pregnancy follow-up.