Mothers´understanding about neonatal screening: a qualitative study

Objective: the present study had as objective to identify the postnatal mothers' knowledge about neonatal screening. Method: this is a study with a qualitative approach with exploratory type conducted in an outpatient specialty unit of a city in Rio Grande do Sul. Data collection occurred in May 2008; it wasused the semistructured interview as a tool. Seven primipara postnatal mothers have participated in the study. Results: in order to organize the results, thematic analysis was used. After discussion and data analysis, it was found out that mothers´understanding about newborn screening is a reflection of theinformations that they have received about the test. They have demonstrated a superficial knowledge about the need of doing the test as well as the diseases that the test detects. Final Considerations: we have found out the importance of awareness in health professionals, especially nurses, about their rolein health education aimed at prevention of diseases that, when diagnosed in time, may delay or even eliminate irreversible consequences for newborns.Descriptors: Neonatal screening; Nursing; Prenatal