Nursing Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Nursing, including details on health care, hospital staff, professional care.

Beliefs and rituals in traditional birth attendant practice in Guatemala.

Walsh LV

University of San Francisco, USA.

Childbearing women and infants in developing countries continue to experience unacceptably high rates of mortality and morbidity in spite of targeted initiatives to address the problem. The aim of this study was to identify the beliefs and rituals of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in one indigenous Guatemalan community to better understand the cultural influences on perinatal care practices. Ethnographic methods were used to increase understanding of the practice of 10 Mayan TBAs. Three themes were constructed: sacred calling, sacred knowledge and sacred ritual.

Published 5 April 2006 in J Transcult Nurs, 17(2): 148-54.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Nursing Research Today. All Rights Reserved.