Avaliação do conhecimento das puérperas sobre o teste do pezinho

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The heel prick test (HPT), included in newborn screening (NBS), is a set of preventive actions aimed at identifying various diseases such as Phenylketonuria, Congenital Hypothyroidism, Sickle Cell Disease, and other Hemoglobinopathies, Cystic Fibrosis, Biotinidase Deficiency, and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent sequelae or even death. OBJECTIVES: To describe postpartum women's knowledge about the heel prick test; To outline the socio-economic profile of postpartum women; To mention mothers' knowledge about how the heel prick test collection procedure is performed; To point out the knowledge of postpartum women regarding the diseases screened by the Heel Prick Test and the information received during prenatal care. METHODOLOGY: This is a field research with a qualitative exploratory and descriptive approach. The study was conducted with 21 postpartum women in a reference maternity hospital in the city of Caxias-MA. RESULTS: The unanimity of knowledge among postpartum women about the existence of the heel prick test was evidenced. However, throughout the research, most demonstrated an understanding of the execution and the appropriate day for the test, although there is a gap in correctly identifying the diseases detectable by this examination. It is noteworthy that, during the prenatal care of some postpartum women, nursing professionals played a fundamental role in disseminating information about the heel prick test. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: Therefore, it is suggested that professionals working in the Family Health Strategy promote group discussions and create WhatsApp groups to provide weekly information. This is necessary since the pregnant woman's handbook offers only basic information, for example, the need to perform the heel prick test, without detailing important aspects. These initiatives aim to disseminate relevant information about the test, addressing its execution, purpose, detectable diseases, and its importance for the baby's health.