Mães trabalhadoras em hospital de ensino: readaptação funcional na gestação e lactação

Abstract

Work in a hospital environment is permeated by numerous health risks. In the case of pregnant or lactating women, ergonomic, physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial risks can cause irreparable harm to maternal and infant health. Therefore, Brazilian legislation guarantees temporary job security from the confirmation of pregnancy until five months after childbirth, and removal from hazardous work without loss of salary. The general objective of this study was to analyze how female workers in a teaching hospital undergoing functional readaptation due to pregnancy and/or lactation have experienced these functional changes. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, conducted in a hospital in the Southeast region of Brazil. Participants included pregnant and lactating healthcare professionals reassigned from hazardous activities and workers responsible for monitoring the functional readaptation process. Data collection was carried out using a socioeconomic characterization form and semi-structured interviews. Thematic content analysis resulted in three categories: Working women's rights; job reassignment process; health monitoring; and motherhood. The results showed that motherhood associated with hospital work is permeated by emotional ambivalence, psychological suffering, and difficulties in reconciling caregiving, breastfeeding, and professional performance. It was found that the workers' knowledge of their rights is focused on issues related to salary, maternity leave, and breastfeeding, and that there are weaknesses in the provision of institutional guidance and in the articulation between the fields of health and work. Job reassignment, although necessary for the protection of maternal and child health, was frequently limited to measures for managing environmental risk, especially changes in the workplace and caregiving functions, with predominantly reactive monitoring dependent on immediate supervisors. It is concluded that strengthening institutional policies, implementing continuous monitoring protocols, and systematic educational actions are fundamental to guaranteeing the realization of rights and promoting the health of pregnant and breastfeeding women in the hospital environment.