Experiências de gestantes e puérperas privadas de liberdade sobre o ciclo gravídico puerperal na prisão: estudo qualitativo

INTRODUCTION: Adequate care for pregnant women is a right guaranteed by the Unified Health System (SUS), but in the prison context, where the environment is hostile and unsuitable for pregnant women, many women suffer from a lack of care and a violation of their rights. OBJECTIVE: To describe the care offered to pregnant and postpartum women deprived of their liberty during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, highlighting the challenges faced in this context. METHOD: This is a qualitative study carried out in July 2024 based on the narratives of pregnant and postpartum women incarcerated in a penitentiary in São Paulo. Recorded interviews lasting 40 minutes were conducted using a structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using Bardin's content analysis technique, using ATLAS.ti software. RESULTS: The study revealed that the majority of women started prenatal care late due to a lack of access to health services or unawareness of the pregnancy. The care offered was limited, with shortcomings in medical follow-up and guidance on childbirth. The interviewees reported feelings of abandonment, and few received adequate information about signs of risk or breastfeeding. CONCLUSION: The prison system does not offer adequate conditions for the care of pregnant and postpartum women. The lack of support, both physical and emotional, highlights the urgent need to reformulate public policies to ensure more humanized and effective care for incarcerated women.