Care from the Cultural Perspective in Women with Physiological Pregnancy: a Meta-Ethnography

OBJECTIVE. This work sought to conduct an interpretative synthesis of qualitative studies on the phenomenon of care from the cultural perspective in women with physiological pregnancy. METHODS. The Meta-ethnography method was used with the seven traditional phases by Noblit and Hare to describe the knowledge derived from the results of qualitative studies with relation to the study phenomenon. A bibliographic search was carried out in seven databases. Twenty-nine qualitative studies were pre-selected of which 23 complied with the quality criteria of the Critical Appraisal Skills Program. RESULTS. Upon synthesizing the studies selected, 12 thematic categories emerged: pregnancy: a natural phenomenon in the woman’s life; spirituality and family support; the midwife; positive and negative feelings; physical exercise; comfort and rest; feeding; avoid consumption of non-beneficial substances; intrauterine stimulation; heat and cold; sexuality during pregnancy; and traditional beliefs and myths. CONCLUSION. Synthesis of the studies permitted developing a line of argument, which reveals that the care practices of pregnant women have a cultural legacy of beliefs, values, myths, and customs that are aimed at guaranteeing the protection of the mother and of her unborn child.