Perceptions and experiences of parenthood and maternal health care among Latin American women living in Spain: A qualitative study

Objective: to explore the experiences and perceptions of parenthood and maternal health care among Latin American women living in Spain. Design: an exploratory qualitative research using focus groups and thematic analysis of the discussion. Setting and participants: three focus groups with 26 women from Bolivia and Ecuador and three focus groups with 24 midwives were performed in three towns in the Valencian Community receiving a large influx of immigrants. Findings: the women interpreted motherhood as the role through which they achieve fulfilment and assumed that they were the ones who could best take care of their children. They perceived that men usually make decisions about sex and pre…