Social and Cultural Factors Underpinning Childbirth Practices in Nepal

The purpose of this study was to investigate maternal and child morbidity and mortality in Nepal, as well as barriers to quality maternity care. This study examined the subjective experiences of those participating in the birthing process (mothers, mothers-in-law, husbands, health professionals) in order to understand cultural perceptions and reduce adverse outcomes for women and children. The experiences of fifteen postpartum mothers, eight mothers-in-law, five health professionals, and four husbands were explored through qualitative in-depth interviews. This process resulted in 56 hours of narrative material describing personal accounts of maternity care. Analysis of this qualitative data revealed that cultural beliefs had a strong impact on the quality of maternity care. More specifically, Nepali women do not experience childbirth as an active relational partnership phenomenon, but as an objectifying experience embedded within the stratified social hierarchy of the Nepali family and community. Two other significant social aspects of maternity care were the low status of women in Nepali society and the medical professional¿s control over childbirth.