VULNERABILIDADE MATERNA EM TEMPOS DE COVID-19: UMA ANÁLISE CRÍTICA DA ASSISTÊNCIA PÚBLICA AO PARTO NO INTERIOR DA AMAZÔNIA

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed and deepened historical inequalities in access to healthcare, particularly in the context of obstetric care in peripheral and rural regions of Brazil. Pregnant women, due to their physiological and social characteristics, constitute a particularly vulnerable group whose care requires specific protocols, adequate infrastructure, and trained professionals. This article aims to critically analyze public policies related to maternal health during the pandemic, focusing on the experience of pregnant women assisted in a public maternity hospital located in the municipality of Itacoatiara, in the interior of the state of Amazonas. The research is based on the understanding that maternal vulnerability is not limited to the biological condition of pregnancy but involves social, economic, territorial, and institutional determinants that directly affect the quality of care received. The methodology adopted was qualitative, including interviews with postpartum women diagnosed with Covid-19 and documentary analysis of medical records and official guidelines, such as the Rede Cegonha Program and Technical Notes from the Ministry of Health. The literature review includes real authors and studies published between 2010 and 2025, focusing on public health, gender equity, and childbirth humanization. The results show that, despite the existence of public policies aimed at maternal health, their implementation was limited by factors such as resource scarcity, lack of specific protocols, concentration of services in urban centers, and the invisibility of pregnant women in peripheral areas. The interviewed women reported feelings of abandonment, fear, and insecurity, especially due to the lack of clear information and the precariousness of hospital care. It is concluded that maternal vulnerability during the pandemic results from multiple interconnected factors, and overcoming these inequalities requires more sensitive, inclusive, and territorially adapted public policies. The article also proposes directions for future studies that explore the relationship between maternal health, social justice, and crisis management, contributing to the strengthening of obstetric care within the Unified Health System. keywords: maternal vulnerability, covid-19, public policies, childbirth in SUS