“You Do What You Have To Do For The Babies”: The Pregnancy Experiences of Native American Women

Abstract

Settler colonialism has contributed to disproportionate health disparities for Indigenous women, however their health experiences during pregnancy are understudied. The first author used qualitative description methodology to conduct life-course semi-structured interviews with 31 women who were members of a state-recognized Gulf Coast Indigenous tribe in the United States. Participants most often described these types of pregnancy experiences: How and From Who Learned About Pregnancy and Birth; Experiences with Miscarriage; Complications During Pregnancy; Working During Pregnancy and Lack of Post-Partum or Maternity Leave and Generational Changes in Pregnancy. We discuss research implications and areas of future research based on participants' experiences.