Culturally specific maternity care in Wisconsin.

There are significant health disparities in maternity care in the United States. One way to decrease these disparities may be to improve prenatal care among underserved minority women. This article reviews cultural and ethnic issues that may impact maternity care within 5 different groups of women commonly seen by maternity care providers in Wisconsin: African American, Latina, Hmong, Amish, and immigrant women. Understanding concerns that are specific to each group (such as higher rates of gestational diabetes in Latina women or desires to limit pelvic exams among Hmong women) may help clinicians provide more patient-centered maternity care.