Hum: Helping underserved mothers

Background: The leading contributor of maternal mortality is India with a national average of 212 deaths per 100,000 live births. The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for India is to reduce their maternal mortality to about 109 deaths per 100,000 by 2015. Uttar Pradesh, one of the states, surpasses this number with an average of 359 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. We aim to address this research gap by analyzing factors that may be at play in this disproportionate burden of disease. Objective: To examine the environmental, social and cultural factors associated with prenatal care access and related behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes among Asian-Indian women in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Methods: Asian-Indian women over 18 (n=129) were recruited to participate in this pilot study. Surveys in Hindi were administered by the principal investigator. A range of topics were addressed, including community health beliefs, social support and culture, and experiences all relative to prenatal care. Results were analyzed via Microsoft Excel and SPSS. Results: A majority of the women believed in curative versus preventive measures. Mainly the husband and the in-laws helped the women make medical decisions including that of coming in to seek prenatal care. 33% of the participants believed that it is only necessary to come in for prenatal care when there is a complication. Many women utilize household remedies if a complication does arise. Conclusions: A set of important population-specific attitudes and beliefs were revealed, indicating the importance of cultural tailoring in future interventions. Preliminary findings confirm the need for continued epidemiological research and potentially an integrative medicine approach.