Indigenous women's experiences about the pregnancy-puerperal cycle.
Lubiane Boer, Francisca Georgina Macedo de Sousa, Rizioléia Marina Pinheiro Pina and 3 others
PMID 39417443WHAT IT FOUND
Pregnant indigenous women in this study described birth as sacred and village-centered, preferring family and midwives over hospital cuts.
Breastfeeding was expected but often brought fatigue. Some asked for better village prenatal care, and women suggested more doctors, medicines and tests.
Key findings
01Women preferred birth in the village with family and midwives, and saw hospital cuts as detachment, coldness or violence.
02Breastfeeding was culturally unquestioned, but most women reported weakness, tiredness, discouragement and, in two cases, depression.
03Some women wanted better prenatal care in the villages, and participants suggested more doctors, medicines and tests.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Qualitative convenience sample of pregnant women from one region of Brazil, so the themes may not apply to other indigenous groups or regions. The methods describe 27 pregnant women, while the limitation section also refers to pregnant and postpartum women, so postpartum experiences may not be fully represented. Interviews were short, averaging 20 minutes, and the authors describe some answers as superficial or evasive. Women who spoke other languages and were not accompanied by an interpreter were excluded, which may limit the voices heard.
Declared interests
Funded by CNPq/MCTI/FNDCT Chamada Nº 18/2021 - Faixa A - Grupos Emergentes. No author conflicts of interest are stated in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that village births or family midwives improve maternal or infant outcomes. This qualitative study reports women's experiences and preferences; it did not compare birth settings or measure health outcomes.