[Alternative care options for pregnancy in Jalisco, Mexico]

Abstract

The mother's culture has been identified as a factor in the use of health services for prenatal care. Beliefs and practices concerning traditional and domestic medicine used by women during pregnancy can play a role in the decision to seek medical care. In a non-probabilistic sample of 3,250 women, alternative care during pregnancy and its relationship to satisfactory prenatal care was studied. To analyze the association, the prenatal care variable was divided into (a) satisfactory and (b) unsatisfactory, according to a list of official Mexican standards. The chi-square test and odds ratio were applied, with p < 0.05. The association of alternative care with unsatisfactory prenatal care was established. Psycho-prophylactic training for delivery acted as a protective factor. The culture of pregnant woman in Mexico comprises meaning and behaviors that mix concepts and prescriptive ideas concerning domestic, traditional, and academic medicine, varying according to the stage of pregnancy, and which may be used in exclusive or complementary fashion. This situation should be considered in health education programs.