Cultural issues in prenatal care and midwifery practice

A preliminary enquiry is made into midwives' perceptions of cultural issues in prenatal care. Twenty-three midwives completed a questionnaire in a formal setting. The major findings show that comprehension is identified as the most preferred cultural component in midwifery practice. Significant perceived positive associations are obtained among a number of sociocultural variables and prenatal care. The findings of this study suggest that midwifery practice needs to be informed by cultural practices in pregnancy.