Delivery and postpartum care in Rio Branco in the northern state of Acre, Brazil: a population based survey

Introduction: Pregnancy can be associated with health risks for both the mother and infant, and specialised care during the pregnancy, delivery and puerperium periods can help reduce complications for the mother-infant binomial. Objective: To assess the demographic, social and reproductive aspects of delivery and the postpartum period in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted via an interview with 552 mothers with children aged 0 to 5 years between 2007 and 2008. Cluster sampling of the population was performed in two stages (census sectors and domiciles). Results: The majority of the 552 mothers were multiparous (79.6%). Around 70% of pregnancies occurred in teenage mothers. The proportion of caesarean section deliveries was 38.4% in mothers from urban zones and 28.5% in those from rural areas, and was higher in mothers who attended private clinics, who self-reported as being Caucasian, and who had a higher educational level. With regard to puerperal complications, mothers who underwent caesarean section had a higher prevalence of hypertension (71.1%) with an adjusted prevalence ratio of 3.90 (95% CI [2.00, 7.61]). Conclusions: The results revealed a high rate of teenage pregnancy, and arterial hypertension was the leading complication during the postpartum period experienced by women who had undergone caesarean section. These findings merit further attention, and should be used to improve the care provided to Rio Branco.