Perception of the Integration of Gynecological and Neonatal Content in Physiotherapy Education for the Care of the Mother–Preterm Dyad: A Pilot Descriptive Study

Abstract

Introduction: Care for the mother-preterm infant dyad requires the simultaneous participation of various healthcare professionals to address the needs of both the mother and the newborn during pregnancy, childbirth, and the neonatal period. In this context, the physiotherapist plays a role in the prevention, assessment, and treatment of maternal and neonatal conditions requiring specialized care. However, many undergraduate training programs still lack sufficient content regarding gynecological, obstetric, and neonatal physiotherapy—a situation that may limit the preparedness of future professionals to work in this specific field. Objective: To determine the perceptions of healthcare professionals, students, and faculty regarding the importance of integrating gynecological and neonatal content into physiotherapy training to enhance care for the mother-preterm infant dyad. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study with a quantitative approach was conducted using a structured survey with dichotomous questions administered to 60 participants selected via non-probability convenience sampling; data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and 95% confidence intervals. Results: 98.3% of participants deemed the curricular integration of this content necessary, 95.0% indicated that its absence limits professional performance, and 58.3% stated that their current training was insufficient for providing comprehensive care to the mother-preterm dyad. Conclusion: Participants demonstrated a need for integrating gynecological and neonatal content into physiotherapy training and identified opportunities to strengthen the curriculum regarding care for the mother-preterm infant dyad. These findings provide exploratory evidence that should be confirmed through studies with larger samples and broader methodological designs.