Beliefs and practices of pregnant mothers in the Vista Alegre neighborhood of Ayacucho

Resumo

The aim of this research is to describe and interpret the beliefs and practices of pregnant mothers who attend prenatal check-ups at the Vista Alegre Health Center in the district of Carmen Alto, Ayacucho, Peru. The methodology used is qualitative and ethnographic, based on open interviews with expectant mothers. From the approach of the anthropology of health and from the life cycle theories, it is concluded that prenatal practices and care by pregnant mothers are influenced by cultural, religious and mythological beliefs. These factors reveal that there is a local prenatal culture versus a westernized prenatal culture, generating difficulties in intercultural communication and, in some cases, risks for maternal and perinatal health.