Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Post Office Royal Brisbane Hospital, Q 4029, Australia.
Women Birth. 2012 Jun;25(2):79-85. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2010.12.007. Epub 2011 Feb 3.
This study took place in a remote community on the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, Western Australia. Ngaanyatjarra women's cultural practices have been subject to erosion during the past 70 years. Women are now expected to birth hundreds of kilometres from home and, due to financial barriers, without family support. Older women lament their lack of input into, and control of, contemporary birthing services.
In order to provide culturally appropriate maternity services we asked: What issues would the Ngaanyatjarra women of the community like to see resolved in the area of antenatal and birthing services?
Eligible participants were any Ngaanyatjarra women of the study community who had birthed at least once. We utilised a participatory research methodology. 36 women were interviewed.
This paper discusses one finding related to support for child-bearing women. The role is important in many ways. Ngaanyatjarra women did not traditionally have their support persons with them during labour and birth, nor do they necessarily expect them to be present in current times. Most women do, however, wish to have a support person with them during antenatal checkups and when they travel to town to await birth.
Aboriginal women from remote communities should be able to have a support person with them when they access regional birthing services, but the nature of this role must not be assumed. A culturally appropriate service has input from the community, provides options and respects choices.
本研究在澳大利亚西部的 Ngaanyatjarra 土地上的一个偏远社区进行。在过去的 70 年里，Ngaanyatjarra 妇女的文化习俗受到侵蚀。现在，妇女们预计要在家乡数百公里以外分娩，由于经济障碍，没有家人的支持。年长的妇女哀叹她们在当代分娩服务中缺乏投入和控制权。
为了提供文化上合适的产妇服务，我们询问：社区中的 Ngaanyatjarra 妇女希望在产前和分娩服务方面解决哪些问题？
符合条件的参与者是社区中任何至少生育过一次的 Ngaanyatjarra 妇女。我们采用了参与式研究方法。共有 36 名妇女接受了采访。
本文讨论了与支持生育妇女有关的一个发现。这个角色在很多方面都很重要。Ngaanyatjarra 妇女在分娩和生育期间传统上没有支持她们的人，她们现在也不一定期望有人在身边。然而，大多数妇女希望在产前检查和前往城镇等待分娩时有人陪伴。
来自偏远社区的土著妇女在获得区域分娩服务时应该能够有人陪伴，但这种角色的性质不能被假设。一个文化上合适的服务需要得到社区的投入，提供选择，并尊重选择。
