Manual Therapy, Posturology & Rehabilitation Journal. ISSN 2236-5435. Copyright © 2020. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License which permits unrestricted non- commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided article is properly cited 1 Manual Therapy, Posturology & Rehabilitation Journal Formely REVISTA TERAPIA MANUAL RESEARCH ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.17784/mtprehabjournal.2021.19.766 Knowledge and perceptions of pregnant women about the reproductive system: A qualitative study Fabiana Flores Sperandio 1 , Cinara Sacomori 2 , Géssica Maria Moreira 1 , Ingridy Kammers 1 , Fernando Luiz Cardoso 1 . 1 Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina – CEFID/UDESC, Florianópolis, SC – Brasil, 2 Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, UBO - Chile. BACKGROUND From a cultural perspective, human sexual dimorphism is classified as male and female, in which subjects are divided considering psychological, sexual, anatomical and physiological characteristics. (1) With the feminist debate, scientific thinking about the woman's body has undergone several changes over time and, with this, the participation of women in the production of knowledge has increased. (2) Due to the advent of the exposure of female images considered “ideal” to the media, a greater number of women may have less acceptance of their natural anatomy and, consequently, an altered body image. (3) Body image refers to the experiences and assessments that a person has of his own body and weight, although it does not reflect the true silhouette, as postulated by previous authors. (4,5) Some authors have emphasized the importance of researches that symbolically investigates the body. (5,6) Therefore, the technique of drawing the body can be a good alternative, since it allows the projection of internalized images. Thus, the drawing expresses different representations of the subject and reflects the concept of himself. (7) Martins (2005) (8) presents the symbolism behind the representation of the anatomy of female bodies in the 18th century, in which the images sought to be faithful to the scientific method with the objectification of the real, but were also sources of expression of the perception of femininity. Currently, the female reproductive system is described as a group of organs, composed of two ovaries, two uterine tubes, a uterus, a vagina and a vulva, located inside the pelvic cavity, these structures being responsible, among other functions, for the reproduction process. (9) There is evidence that women's understanding of this system influences decision- making about their sexual and reproductive health. (10) In this case, sexual and reproductive education (SRE) can assist through the dissemination of knowledge a better understanding of how your body works and the subject variations of each woman in functional and responsive terms. (11) However, even with proven benefits (12) , SRE in most developing countries still find it difficult to reach women in general and, more specifically, during pregnancy. (13,14) During pregnancy, women experience several transformations (physical, psychological and social) and their corporeality is mostly focused on the growth and well-being of their child. (15) In addition to these gestational changes, similar processes are also experienced in adolescence, in some diseases and even in amputations. However, it is not clear enough in the rehabilitation environment how the perception occurs, that is, the meaning attributed to the reproductive system itself and its adaptations in the condition of pregnant, since the reproductive ability, for now, is already confirmed. The question assumes greater property when analyzing information from different studies, as there is a reduced knowledge of women in relation to the functioning of the female reproductive system. (10,16) * Corresponding author; Fabiana Flores Sperandio; E-mail: fabiana.sperandio@udesc.br Submission date 27 Setenbro 2019; Acceptance date 10 January 2021; Publication date 15 April 2021 ABSTRACT Background: To know pregnant’s perceptions and a critical basis attributed to the body from the perspective of the reproductive system. Methods: This is a qualitative study. We used a semi-structured questionnaire with socioeconomic and gynecological-obstetric information, an A4 sheet for graphical representation of the reproductive system and pelvic floor and an interview, questioning the meanings of the reproductive system in the pregnancy context. Then, a qualitative analysis of the interviews was produced. Results: Five categories were identified: recognition began in adolescence, health-disease relationship, process of being pregnant, insight into sexuality, and lack of recognition of its importance in pregnancy. Conclusion: This perception had different meanings and roles in adolescence, changing with pregnancy, becoming a cradle of affection through self-care. Keywords: Pregnant Women; Reproduction; Teenage pregnancy; Knowledge; Body image.