Giving birth with dignity shouldn’t be a matter of privilege. But in Portugal, it increasingly is. Your support means that pregnant women know they have a choice. That they have a voice.
In Portugal, antenatal classes are not widely available.
There is legislation, there are the World Health Organization´s recommendations (WHO), but many pregnant people still don't know that they have rights, that they can choose, that they can say "no".
Public childbirth preparation courses differ greatly throughout the country, geographically, in terms of content, and often do not cover the essentials. Pregnant people need practical and legal information, as well as emotional support about pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
In December 2024, we created our antenatal classes to fill this gap.
Thanks to the financial support of the Commission for Gender Equality (CIG), we were able to deliver two in-person courses, in Almada and Lisbon, and reached people all over the country with the online version, for a total of 103 enrolled.
The feedback we received filled us with joy:
“An 'outside the box' course that brought us information and peace of mind”
“A course where we are told the truth”
Now we get messages asking, "When's the next one?" Every. Single. Day.
We really want to respond positively to these requests, and want to launch two new editions of the course by the end of 2025, each with 6 online sessions.
We have a team of experienced doctors, doulas, midwives, lawyers and psychologists who are eager to give their 100% to this course.
Topics include:
- Birth Physiology (What makes birth "work"?)
- Massages, movements, breathing, non-pharmacological pain relief methods
- Hospital interventions, their advantages, disadvantages, and what does the evidence say?
- Induction of labour: methods and evidence-based information
- Caesarean section: what are the real reasons for a Caesarean section? What happens in a c-section?
- Indicators for visiting the emergency room
- Birth plan: my real preferences, plan A, B, C – What if birth doesn't go to plan?
- Rights and legislation in pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood
- Breastfeeding
- Mental health in the perinatal period
- Postpartum and parenting
- Useful resources
For all of this to happen, we need your support.
We are a non-profit organization, so every euro counts. Your donation, no matter how small, can ensure that a pregnant person knows that they have a choice. That they are not alone. That they have a voice. And that evidence-based information reaches them.
Donate whatever you can. Even if it's just the cost of a cup of coffee.
After all, if you don't know your rights, it's as if you don't have them.
Thank you so much!
Sessão presencial em Almada com a formadora Érica Lopes Ruivo
About the author
In 2014, few voices defended birth rights in Portugal.
The Portuguese Birth Rights Association was created to give a voice to those who had difficult experiences during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum and, often, suffered in silence.
Also, to provide evidenced based infotmation to those who get pregnant, those who give birth and their surrounding "village".
The right choices come from informed choices, without pressure, coercion or manipulation.
What is the best option for one woman may not be for another. But your voice must always be heard.
We fight for a country where being born is not associated with fear, anxiety or humiliation.
We fight for informed families and for compassionate health professionals who are up to date regarding the lastest scientific evidence.
We fight for woman centred, respected births and for the sexual and reproductive rights of everyone.
We are the Portuguese Birth Rights Association.
Sessão presencial em Almada
Budget and due dates
The budget for each edition is €630.
Each course has 6 sessions of 3 hours each, totaling 18 hours of training. There are also handouts of support materials that are distributed to each participant, which we need to account for.
In addition, there is a commission for using the PPL platform worth €128.23.
The courses will be taught by certified trainers, part of the APDMGP multidisciplinary team, who are experts in each of their fileds, as well as other invited certified trainers and experts.
Elisa Aires – Master in Psychology of Justice from ULP and Researcher in Psychology. Graduated in Psychology, with a specialization in medical psychology in Brazil, where she worked professionally mainly in the clinical and hospital context. Master in Psychology Themes from FPCEUP. She is currently a researcher in psychology, and completed her master's degree in Psychology of Justice, with a research project on Obstetric Violence. As a full member of APDMGP, she works for the rights of women in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, with the aim of making a respected and woman centred pregnancy and childbirth experience for all, as well as giving visibility to the impacts of poor obstetric practices on maternal mental health.
Érica Lopes Ruivo – Nurse specialized in Maternal and Obstetric Health Nursing (EEESMO), founding member of APDMGP. Independent midwife.
Lara Diogo – family doctor with advanced training in the area of maternal and child health, breastfeeding and infant feeding, human rights (CEDAW), interpersonal violence and equity with collaboration in national and European medical research and scientific dissemination groups such as the WONCA Europe Network for New and Future Family Physicians.
Maria de Almeida – lawyer and trainer. Master's thesis in Law on obstetric violence (criminal legal sciences). Co-author of the article "From the Right to Maternity to the Rights of Children in the Soares De Melo C. Portugal Case" included in the work "Human Rights of Women" by Professor Paulo Pinto de Albuquerque, Editora Universidade Católica.
Sara do Vale – doula, co-founder of APDMGP and trainer. She trained as a doula in the uk with the organization Nurturing Birth in 2014. As a doula, she witnesses babies being born in various contexts, choices, desires and clinical scenarios. It was in the contrast between the options and possibilities in birth available to British and Portuguese women that she felt driven to co-found the Portuguese Birthrights Association. She holds a Certificate of Pedagogical Skills from the CCP (formerly CAP); and currently dedicates herself to training, coaching and mentoring in the context of reproductive rights and supporting women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
Patrícia Nobre – Doula, Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Physiotherapist with a Postgraduate Degree in Pediatric Physiotherapy. Co-founder of the Portuguese Association of Certified Lactation Consultants (APCLC). As a Doula, she supports families in their choices, in different contexts. As a Lactation Consultant, she supports families in their breastfeeding journey, helping them achieve their goals. Member of APDMGP. Activist for women's reproductive rights. Guest instructor in the Postgraduate Degree in Breastfeeding at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing of the Catholic University of Portugal in Lisbon.
Marília Pereira – Nurse Specialist in Maternal Health and Obstetrics, Independent midwife, master's student in Child Health and Pediatric Nursing. Founder of O Bebé Sabe (The baby knows) and International Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and Baby Led Weaning Consultant, Infant Massage Instructor by IAIM/APMI. Coordinator of Bebé no Pano (Babywearing). Postgraduate in Nutrition in Pediatrics. Postgraduate in sleep in childhood and adolescence. Consultant in Integrative Health of Infant Sleep. Parental Educator in Integrative Child Health. Co-author of the book Nursing in Maternal and Obstetric Health and author of the book "O Bebé Sabe Comer" (Baby knows how to eat).
As for the course itself, it has 12 topics divided into 6 classes:
- Physiology of Birth (What makes birth "work"?)
- Massages, movements, breathing, non-pharmacological pain relief methods
- Hospital interventions, their advantages, disadvantages, and what does the evidence say?
- Induction of labour: methods and evidence-based information
- Caesarean section: what are the real reasosn for a Caesarean section? What happens in a s-section?
- Signs of going to the emergency room
- Birth plan: my real preferences, plan A, B, C, what if things don´t go to planned?
- Rights and legislation in pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood
- Breastfeeding
- Mental health in the perinatal period
- Postpartum and parenting
- Useful resources
Although there is still no set date, we want to launch the 2 editions by the end of 2025.
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