Abstract

CARDOZO SILVA, SANDRA LILIANA  and  BERNAL ROLDAN, MARÍA DEL CARMEN. Adolescents in puerperium and their care practices. av.enferm. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.2, pp.82-91. ISSN 0121-4500.

This study describes care practices of a group of adolescents in puerperium at the San Rafael Hospital in the city of Girardot during 2007. The sample comprised of 75 women between 11 and 40 days postpartum. Information was collected using the questionnaire " Selfcare practices of women in postpartum" , version May 21st 2004, comprising 6 categories: nutrition, hygiene, activity and exercise, non beneficial habits, use of drugs and support systems (1). For analysis, open content answers were grouped by homogeneity, establishing categories and presentation of data in tables with recurrent frequencies. For closed questions, tables and graphs were used, with a percentage distribution. Results showed that ages were between 14 and 20, most of them first time mothers and with civil union status, incomplete secondary schooling and low social economic income level. Care practices of these puerperas reported that they are still oriented by their families, specially by women in their families: mothers, grandmothers, mothers in law; One should highlight the use of cotton into the ears, kerchiefs on the head and not to expose themselves to natural phenomenon such as cold, sun and rain to prevent " headaches" and reduction of physical activities so that " the womb does not fall down" . It was evident that recommendations given by the nursing community are gaining ground in comparison with these old wives' tales and they are being followed within their families.

Keywords : adolescent; postpartum period; maternal behavior.

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