The aura of cultural needs during pregnancy

A woman is more likely to die in the UK during pregnancy if she is Black, a recent migrant and has had inadequate pregnancy care. Cultural influences on reduced attendance for pregnancy care has been connected to Black migrant maternal deaths for twenty years. My study’s findings show that migrant Black women are not asked about their culture when attending for pregnancy care and they either choose to hide or reveal their culture. A person’s culture is colourful and complex, an aura that is visible and invisible. The seen and unseen nature of culture makes it difficult to decipher an individual’s needs, as culture may be practised differently depending on the environment and wider society. Culture may influence all aspects of a person’s life including their health seeking behaviour and healthcare decisions. The missed opportunity to explore migrant women’s cultural needs during pregnancy means that important aspects of their health needs are unexplored and therefore, not included in their pregnancy care provision. This picture shows the dark inner core of a woman’s culture and at the same time a vibrant spectrum which requires consideration during pregnancy care. Sarah Esegbona-Adeigbe