Objectives: to investigate puerperal women who received guidance on childbirth during prenatal care and the behaviors experienced in the labor process within the context of good obstetric practices from the perspective of puerperal women.
Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study conducted with 203 puerperal women admitted to the shared rooms of a teaching hospital between May and July 2017 during the immediate postpartum period. For data collection, was used an instrument adapted from the hospital questionnaire for puerperal women that was developed by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.
Results: only 48.3% of puerperal women received the eight orientations regarding good obstetric practices during prenatal care, which were not experienced in the labor process, especially regarding referral and behaviors of the hospital team. Unfavorable socioeconomic conditions were significant in relation to guidelines provided during prenatal care.
Conclusions: prenatal care was negatively evaluated and there was lack of compliance with good obstetric practices and non-recommended behaviors in the labor process in the maternity ward.