A PERCEPÇÃO DE GESTANTES DE ALTO RISCO ACERCA DO PROCESSO DE HOSPITALIZAÇÃO PERCEPTIONS OF THE HOSPITALIZATION PROCESS AMONG WOMEN WITH HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES LA PERCEPCIÓN DE MUJERES EMBARAZADAS DE ALTO RIESGO SOBRE EL PROCESO DE HOSPITALIZACIÓN

This qualitative, descriptive study aimed to understand how women with high-risk pregnancies see the hospitalization process. The participants were 10 pregnant women on the high-risk pregnancy ward at Antonio Pedro University Hospital in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro State. Data were collected from March to August 2012 through semi- structured interview. Content analysis brought out three categories: the expression of feelings in high-risk pregnancy; the body experience (seeing and feeling); and changes in social roles. It was concluded that the pregnant women had many representations about being a woman experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, which centered on the changes, adaptations by their organism, the experience of giving birth to a child, and changes in social roles. Accordingly, it is important for health personnel to incorporate scientific knowledge into the needs of humanized care.