Cultural meaning of pregnancy and childbirth among Mexican-American women

Abstract

This study explored the cultural meaning of pregnancy and childbirth among Mexican-American women. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with a homogeneous sample of five Mexican-American women. The domains of meaning identified are: Health-promoting behaviors during pregnancy, Unhealthy behaviors during pregnancy, Health-promoting behaviors postpartum, Unhealthy behaviors postpartum, Kinds of things done to maintain baby's health, and Cultural expectations of women. The four cultural themes that emerged from the data analysis are: 1. Religious beliefs are important in the promotion of a healthy pregnancy and in the prevention of problems during pregnancy and following birth. 2. Maintaining health during pregnancy and postpartum involves many things that should be done as well as many things that should be avoided. 3. Traditional cultural rules and beliefs guide health care practices during the prenatal and postpartum period. 4. The fetus and newborn infant are particularly vulnerable to illnesses or outside influences, requiring special care and precautions.