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Abstract:
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Women prepare for childbirth in a variety ways . These preparations include visits to healthcare providers , seeking information from family , friends , and the media , and attendance at childbirth classes . Documentation of birth preparation comes primarily from studies of middle class white women . Few researchers have identified or included middle class black women in their samples . Instead , research with black women often highlights pregnancy problems in low income populations . Also unexamined , except tangentially , is how the social context impacts childbirth for black women . Therefore , nursing practice knowledge lacks an understanding of the processes black women use to prepare for birthing within their social context . The aim of this qualitative study was to identify a theory that described the processes used by urban black women to prepare for childbirth . Also explored was the social context within which these processes occurred . Women in the last four months of pregnancy were recruited through churches , hair salons , newspapers , radio and internet web sites . Data were collected from five focus groups and two individual interviews (n=22 ) . More than half the women reported income adequate for daily needs , were partnered or married , were employed , had at least a high school education and were younger than 23 years . Data analysis followed the grounded theory methods advocated by Strauss and Corbin (1998 ) . The theory describing the processes used by the participants was weighing the impact on me . These women actively engaged in determining the best course of action for themselves . They weighed and considered advice from others , what relationships were crucial , what information was most important to them , and many other issues . Woven throughout were the importance of relationships and the social context in which the women lived . The processes used for birth preparation were divided into four , discovering pregnancy , managing pregnancy , preparing for delivery , and experiencing personal change . These processes were not sequential but represented the dynamic and constant need to assess and decide the best choices in preparing for childbirth . Building on this theory , future research should identify ways in which black women can more readily access the quality healthcare and services they so desire . |