Auriculoterapia em gestantes: uma prática singular no manejo dos desconfortos gravídicos

Abstract

Objective: To analyze pregnant women´s perception regarding the effectiveness of Auriculotherapy in reducing gestational complaints. Method: This is a methodologically structured study with two axes: the first with the construction of a clinical study based on the elaboration of a protocol for the pregnant women´s care and a second qualitative axis, following the assumptions of health research according to Minayo (2002), to analyze the perception of women in relation to the protocol applied. The study was carried out in a private clinic providing humanized birth care, with integrated work by obstetricians, mainly doctors and nurses. The sample comprised 10 pregnant women; only four completed the treatment. A questionnaire was used to collect data and the technique of thematic analysis of the content obtained through the questionnaire. Thematic analysis, based on Braun & Clarke's (2006) framework, included pre-analysis, exploration of the material, treatment of the results, inference and interpretation. The participants' answers were organized in an Excel spreadsheet for analysis. The project was submitted, analyzed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee (CEP) of the São José do Rio Preto Medical School (FAMERP); 5.867.915 and CAAE: 64241322.4.0000.5415. Results: The protocol for lumbar-sciatic pain (Shenmen- Kidney- Sympathetic- Hip- Sciatic) was used. Regarding the four pregnant women: G1= Secundigesta, 32 years old; 36 weeks when she had her first session, her lower back pain was decreasing until the 4th session with improved sleep, less pain and greater relaxation; G2= Primigesta, 30 years old, she was 27 weeks when she had her first session. At the first session she reported intense sciatic pain, reflux and heartburn, but this improved and by the fourth session she reported that the pain was much lighter and her digestion had improved a lot; G3= Secundigesta, a previous miscarriage, 39 years old, she was 34 weeks at the first session, complaining of lower back pain and sciatica. At the first session, she was a little disbelieving about Auriculotherapy. In the second session, she complained that one of the points on her ear had become very sore. In the third session, she reported an improvement in her lower back pain. In the fourth session, she said she had no pain during that period; G4= Primigravida, 38 years old, twin pregnancy. She was 19 weeks pregnant at the first session, complaining of low back pain and sciatica, which improved by the fourth session, with mild low back pain. As for the participants' perceptions of the treatment carried out through the application of the Auriculotherapy protocol, the discourse highlighted a progressive improvement on the complaints of all the participants. Final considerations: Auriculotherapy proved to be effective in managing low back pain, sciatica, heartburn and anxiety; this is a valuable practice in promoting health care during pregnancy. It also highlights the importance of the practice of obstetric nurses as specialists in Auriculotherapy in the management of gestational discomfort.