“A arte de Partejar”: das parteiras tradicionais à medicalização do parto no Amazonas (1970-2000)

Abstract

The research aims to understand the historical importance of the role of midwives in the Amazon. To analyze this knowledge / folk do that is the art of midwifery, past knowledge through oral tradition, observation and transmitted from generation to generation. And realize through reports / interviews as midwives learned their craft, identify the main difficulties in trying to ease labor pains, show the risks and complications that the mother and child are exposed at the time of delivery, examine working conditions midwives in the care home birth and the role of the health system in the service of a midwife. Giving voice to these women to be in communities and in urban areas the opportunity to tell their social work to trim child, assisting mothers in antepartum and postpartum care in the protection period, food, prayers and use of herbs as well as assistance to health. With the emergence of medicalization of childbirth, the craft of midwifery has become a formal and professionalized activity, according to the medical discourse to hold the office the midwife need to qualify.