Bibha Simkhada|Maureen Porter|Edwin van Teijlingen
The role of mothers-in-law in antenatal care decision-making in Nepal: a qualitative study
University of Aberdeen|University of Aberdeen|Bournemouth University
antenatal care anc recognised way improve health outcomes pregnant women babies however 29 pregnant women receive recommended four antenatal visits nepal reasons low utilisation poorly understood many countries south asia mothersinlaw play crucial role decisions around accessing health care facilities providers paper aims explore motherinlaws role daughterinlaws anc uptake b decisionmaking process using anc services nepalindepth interviews conducted 30 purposively selected antenatal postnatal mothers half users half nonusers anc 10 husbands 10 mothersinlaw two different urban rural communitiesour findings suggest mothersinlaw sometime positive influence example encouraging women seek anc often negative like many rural women generation mothersinlaw study illiterate used anc main factors leading mothersinlaw supportencourage anc check ups expectations regarding pregnant women fulfilling household duties perceptions anc beneficial based largely past experiences scarcity resources control power relations mothersinlaw daughtersinlaw individual knowledge social class mothersinlaw users nonusers differed significantly likely effect perceptions benefits ancmothersinlaw strong influence uptake anc nepal understanding role important design target effective communitybased health promotion interventions health promotion educational interventions improve use anc target women husbands family members particularly mothersinlaw control access family resources