Postpartum women assisted by physical therapy at a humanized public maternity house

Abstract

The aim was to describe the profile of postpartum women attended to at the physical therapy service in a public maternity house in Betim, MG, as well as the treatment they received. The study drew on a total of 215 medical charts of postpartum women, contaning personal, clinic and physical therapy data. Most women were young, married, housewives, multiparous, and from Betim. As to breast evaluation, most women had simetric and secretive breast, protruded nipples, few nipple traumas or breast-feeding difficulty having been observed; 62,3% of the women presented normal diaphragm kinetics, 85,1% had tympanic sound at abdominal percussion, and normal uterine involution; 87,9% presented pelvic floor muscle contraction, and 30,3% lower limb edema; abdominal muscle diastases measured supra and infra umbilical 2±1 and 1±1 fingers, respectively. As to physical therapy, the women were treated with diaphragm respiratory exercises, abdominal isometric exercises, pelvic floor muscle contractions, lower limb circulatory exercises, flatus elimination maneuvers, deambulation, and guiding. The women's profile was found to be as expected for post-partum physiological recovery. Most had accomplished the physical therapy protocols offered. This study provides useful information on obstetric physical therapy assistance.