ABSTRACT
The scope of this study was to analyze the events involved in preterm infant abandonment by their mothers. A qualitative study was carried out with 12 mothers of preterm infants interned in the NICU of the Federal University of Maranhão - Brazil. The techniques were semi-structured interviews and a focus group performed during internment and in follow-up in the outpatient unit. The sample was defined according to saturation criteria. Content analysis was utilized by thematic scrutiny. The results showed several modes of abandonment in the mothers' life history: abandonment by relatives, social abandonment, and abandonment by the partner. Abandonment by the family was seen in childhood and adolescence as well as in pregnancy, and during infant internment. Another point was the perception of caring as a maternal duty leading to the building of the ideal model that a good mother is loving and does not abandon her offspring. Family, social, and health professional support networks can contribute to maternal empowerment that leads to refraining from abandonment. It was concluded that an abandoned mother might in turn become an abandoning mother, and that, support networks providing attention and protection may turn the history of the abandonment cycle around.
Subject(s)
Infant, Premature , Maternal Behavior/psychology , Mothers/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Child, Abandoned , Female , Humans , Infant, NewbornABSTRACT
O objetivo foi analisar a rede de eventos envolvidos na intenção de abandono de bebês prematuros por suas mães. Pesquisa qualitativa realizada com 12 mães de prematuros internados na UTIN, do HUUMI. As técnicas foram entrevistas semiestruturadas e grupo focal realizados na internação e no ambulatório de seguimento. Amostra definida pelos critérios de saturação, a partir da repetição das falas. Utilizou-se análise de conteúdo na modalidade de análise temática. Resultados evidenciaram as dificuldades em ser mãe de prematuros e diversas formas de abandono em suas histórias de vida: abandono familiar, abandono social, abandono do companheiro que podem ter contribuído para a manifestação da intenção de abandono e/ou negligência materna. O abandono familiar materno foi evidenciado na infância, adolescência, na gravidez e no período de internação do bebê. Destacando-se a percepção do cuidado como obrigação materna, levando à construção do tipo idealizado de que boa mãe é a que cuida e não abandona. Redes de suporte podem empoderá-las facilitando a construção de vínculos e levando ao desejo de não abandonar. Conclui-se que existe uma rede de eventos e fenômenos sociais, familiares e políticos que contribuem para a intenção ou a efetiva realização do abandono. A mãe abandonada pode ser uma mãe abandonante.
The scope of this study was to analyze the events involved in preterm infant abandonment by their mothers. A qualitative study was carried out with 12 mothers of preterm infants interned in the NICU of the Federal University of Maranhão - Brazil. The techniques were semi-structured interviews and a focus group performed during internment and in follow-up in the outpatient unit. The sample was defined according to saturation criteria. Content analysis was utilized by thematic scrutiny. The results showed several modes of abandonment in the mothers' life history: abandonment by relatives, social abandonment, and abandonment by the partner. Abandonment by the family was seen in childhood and adolescence as well as in pregnancy, and during infant internment. Another point was the perception of caring as a maternal duty leading to the building of the ideal model that a good mother is loving and does not abandon her offspring. Family, social, and health professional support networks can contribute to maternal empowerment that leads to refraining from abandonment. It was concluded that an abandoned mother might in turn become an abandoning mother, and that, support networks providing attention and protection may turn the history of the abandonment cycle around.
