Avoiding a 'big' baby: Local perceptions and social responses toward childbirth-related complications in Menabe, Madagascar

摘要

In Madagascar, a country where over 60% of deliveries are not attended by a healthcare professional, late or inadequate responses to complications during childbirth account for a great number of maternal deaths. In this article, we analyse local perceptions of birth-related risks and strategies used to avoid these risks or manage complications of childbirth. We conduct this analysis in light of the social meanings of childbirth and the social expectations placed upon women in a context of socio-economic vulnerability and a challenged public health system.