[Women's narratives on care received in a birthing center]

Women's perception of childbirth care in a birthing center, the focus of this study, should be considered to assess and improve quality of care. The study method was narrative analysis. Inductive and interpretative analysis of narratives by 17 women produced the following descriptive categories: distinct experiences with care received upon arrival at the hospital; diversity of experiences with patient's self-care and procedures performed by healthcare staff; conflicting opinions on the husband or partner's presence during childbirth; and degree of satisfaction with follow-up, interpersonal relations, and orientation by the healthcare team. Childbirth care was evaluated positively by mothers, and this result supports the current Brazilian public policy recommending expansion of birthing centers.