O caminho de dentro e o caminho de fora: uma análise antropológica sobre doulagem e empoderamento feminino no município de Juiz de Fora-MG

Abstract

This dissertation seeks, in general terms, to make considerations about the role played by doulas in the process of female empowerment of women who seek this type of assistance, especially with regard to issues related to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Methodologically, this is a qualitative study, of the literature review type, relating it to individual interviews with doulas and women who sought this type of assistance in their pregnancy and puerperium cycles. Through an ethnographic approach, with interviews conducted between October 2022 and July 2023 with eight doulas and four women who used their services in Juiz de Fora. The interviews reveal that doulas play a crucial role in female empowerment, helping women to make informed decisions about their bodies and births. The concept of empowerment used in the research is based on a feminist perspective, which sees empowerment as a continuous process of achieving autonomy and liberation from gender oppression. We seek here, therefore, to expand the discussion on the importance of doulas and their contributions to women's health, proposing a critical analysis of health practices and the historical processes that shape childbirth experiences in Brazil.