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<p>Antenatal care (ANC) pluralism—meaning, pregnancy-related care and support drawing on local indigenous and biomedical forms of care—is essential to reducing pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality in culturally appropriate ways in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, many current interventions and research emphasize biomedical ANC, overlooking the potential complementarity of African indigenous care practices. This qualitative study explored how and why families in Mafararikwa, rural eastern Zimbabwe, engage with different types of ANC, and the factors shaping those engagements. Collaborating with 101 participants (including health professionals, community key informants, and adult caregivers), we generated data through in-depth interviews, consultative sessions, focus group discussions, and storyboarding. We analyzed the data thematically using QDA Miner Lite software and a reflexive approach that combined inductive and deductive techniques. We identified three key themes describing how and why families engage with diverse ANC types in Mafararikwa: (1) valuing diverse ANC types, (2) weighing the costs of different ANC forms, and (3) comparing distances to different ANC types. Together, these themes highlighted that these families often interacted with multiple ANC systems concurrently to meet their holistic needs. Such pluralism reflected their deeply-held cultural beliefs, relational worldviews, and collective understandings of health, care, healing, and pregnancy, as well as the convenience and costs associated with different ANC types. Our findings underscore the need for ANC policies and practices to adopt culturally-grounded approaches that integrate diverse ANC systems. Policymakers and practitioners should collaborate with traditional and faith-based care providers to support locally-meaningful, holistic ANC approaches in Mafararikwa and beyond.</p>

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A qualitative study on how and why families engage with diverse antenatal care systems in rural eastern Zimbabwe

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月2日

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  • Anthony Shuko Musiwa,
  • Vandna Sinha,
  • Morten Skovdal,
  • Jill Hanley,
  • Mónica Ruiz-Casares

摘要

Antenatal care (ANC) pluralism—meaning, pregnancy-related care and support drawing on local indigenous and biomedical forms of care—is essential to reducing pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality in culturally appropriate ways in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, many current interventions and research emphasize biomedical ANC, overlooking the potential complementarity of African indigenous care practices. This qualitative study explored how and why families in Mafararikwa, rural eastern Zimbabwe, engage with different types of ANC, and the factors shaping those engagements. Collaborating with 101 participants (including health professionals, community key informants, and adult caregivers), we generated data through in-depth interviews, consultative sessions, focus group discussions, and storyboarding. We analyzed the data thematically using QDA Miner Lite software and a reflexive approach that combined inductive and deductive techniques. We identified three key themes describing how and why families engage with diverse ANC types in Mafararikwa: (1) valuing diverse ANC types, (2) weighing the costs of different ANC forms, and (3) comparing distances to different ANC types. Together, these themes highlighted that these families often interacted with multiple ANC systems concurrently to meet their holistic needs. Such pluralism reflected their deeply-held cultural beliefs, relational worldviews, and collective understandings of health, care, healing, and pregnancy, as well as the convenience and costs associated with different ANC types. Our findings underscore the need for ANC policies and practices to adopt culturally-grounded approaches that integrate diverse ANC systems. Policymakers and practitioners should collaborate with traditional and faith-based care providers to support locally-meaningful, holistic ANC approaches in Mafararikwa and beyond.