MOBILE APP INTERACTION IN PANDEMIC TIMES: EXPERIENCE OF PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMAN

Conclusion: the group of pregnant women mediated by a messaging application proved to be an ally in the interaction between women, enabling health education and the creation of a support network respecting social distance. In the postpartum period, there is a process characterized by learning, expectations, desires, and insecurities in the face of everything that will be experienced, defining the acquisition of new roles and responsibilities.12 Shared care and appropriate counseling during prenatal care, through health education activities, can minimize doubts and fears, stimulate positive feelings, and empower women for autonomy during the childbirth and postpartum process.14 Similarly, health team support is crucial for women to understand the physiology of labor and be guided and prepared to deal with challenges and discomforts.5 Prenatal care during the Covid-19 pandemic underwent various changes with measures adopted to preserve life and reduce the risk of transmission for healthcare professionals.6 8 In this scenario, health teams sought strategies to maintain prenatal care, such as teleconsultations and online educational activities, facilitating information exchange, interactions, and interdisciplinary care.9 Among mobile applications, WhatsApp· stands out for its accessibility, dynamism, and low cost, reaching diverse audiences and serving as a tool to meet communication demands between healthcare professionals and a specific audience.1011 The use of messaging app groups has been growing and has been an important means of interaction for women experiencing the gravid-puerperal cycle during the pandemic. [...]this study is justified by the importance of obtaining concrete information about the contribution of technology to the exchange of information, doubts, and feelings experienced by pregnant women. Data collection took place from October to November 2020, using participant registration forms and messaging app conversation files. Data analysis was conducted collaboratively, involving data organization, classification, and final result analysis.12 Information from 1,499 pages of conversations among participants was accessed and read in full.