Tuesday, 1 November 2011: 8:30 AM
Mariquit C. Hadwiger, MS(N), RN
Stephen C. Hadwiger, PhD, MS(N), RN
Department of Nursing, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO
Learning Objective 1: Categorize cultural beliefs shared among Filipina mothers as beneficial, harmless, or harmful.
Learning Objective 2: Discuss economic barriers to Filipina mothers’ utilization of professional maternal health services.
The maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the Philippines has not dropped significantly since the
5th Millennium Development Goal of WHO in 2000 (Ericta, 2007). High MMRs in developing countries were attributed to absence of professional birth attendants during childbirth (Koblinsky & Campbell, 2003). The purpose of this ethnographic study (Germain, 2001) was to explore pregnancy and childbirth perceptions among Filipina women from Iloilo communities in the Philippines who used a traditional birth attendant (paltera) for childbirth. A network sample of 26 Filipina mothers from three municipalities outside Iloilo City were interviewed; confirmatory visits were made to 15 mothers. Conventional content analysis (Hsieh & Shannon 2005) revealed themes (and patterns) of 1) mothers’ folk beliefs (for the welfare of my baby; during labor…; trust in God), 2) mothers’ care for…(healthy pregnancy; recovery after childbirth), and 3) prefer childbirth at home with paltera (no money; personal comfort; unfriendly hospitals). Transferability included relatively rural areas near Iloilo City and lower socioeconomic Filipina mothers. Findings revealed the significance of economics on Filipina mothers’ preference for a paltera during childbirth. Mothers voiced apprehension of hospitals due to professionals’ attitudes toward them. Cultural practices of mothers were categorized as beneficial, harmless, or harmful.
Ericta, C.N. (2007). Maternal mortality slightly declined, MDG target may not be achievable. National Statistics Office. Press Release Number 2007-18. Retrieved August 18, 2009, at http://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2007/pr0718tx.html
Germain, C.P. (2001). Ethnography: The method. In P.L. Munhall (Ed.) Nursing research: A qualitative perspective (pp. 277-306). Boston: Jones & Bartlett.
Hsieh, H-F., & Shannon, S.E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15, 1277-1288.
Koblinsky, M., & Campbell, O. (2003). Factors affecting the reduction of maternal mortality. In M. Koblinsky’s (Ed.) Reducing maternal mortality: Learning from Bolivia, China, Egypt, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, and Zimbabwe (pp. 5-38). Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
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