Download Resource - Healthy Newborn Network

“We do not take a woman outside with us because it
is a matter of shame to take our pregnant wife along
with us.” (IDI, Husband- Ferozabad, Khuzdar).
“Women are not allowed to go for check ups. This is
a matter of great shame that they should be taken to
a doctor for check up. This is a principle of our society
that there are two places for a woman; home or grave.
We take them to a hospital only when they are near
death otherwise a dai comes home to attend to her”
(IDI, Husband-Turlanda, Charsadda).
In Sindh, only in Dadu a woman stated that she did not go
for check up during pregnancy because her in-laws and
husband stopped her from going as the check
up is conducted by a male doctor.
“There are male doctors in the hospital and they touch
the abdomen to check the mother and the fetus. This
is why my family members and husband stopped me
from going to the hospital” (IDI, Mo- UC 4)
In Punjab, in DG Khan, some women reported that no
one spares time to accompany them to a health
facility and it also difficult for them to take out time
from busy household routine for this. While in Jhelum, one
mother-in-law spoke about her Pir (spiritual patron)
who had advised them for abstaining from ANC
for her daughter-in-law.
“We did not go for any check up because our pir had
stopped us from that and told us to have trust in God
and keep it to Him only. We did not go for any check
up or ultrasound” (IDI, MIL-Gol Pur)
Lack of proper care in available health facility
was also reported as a factor. Moreover, malpractices
at government health facility were a reason for not
going to the doctor.
“There is a Civil Hospital here but the treatment that
they provide is not effective and they do not provide
any medicines either” (FGD-Hangoro, Sukkur).
“If we go to the government hospital the doctor takes
5 kg of rice and then gives one glucose drip and
charges 30 rupees for that” (IDI, Mo-Arain, Sukkur).
The attitude of family members is reported to
differ with the number of pregnancies. At the
time of first pregnancy the family takes better care of the
woman but afterwards they do not care much.
“At the time of first baby everyone takes great care but
later no one cares and mothers-in-law say that they also
had babies and it is nothing new or unique. They do not
let them go to the doctor even if the women die bearing
babies at home” (FGD- UC 8, Sukkur)
In contrast to the above, in some urban or rural areas
of 6 districts (Pishin, Khuzdar, Haripur, Lakki Marwat, Jhelum,
Dadu) few women reported that not only their
opinion mattered but also they decide on their
own where and when to go for ANC. Decision
makers, husbands and mothers-in-law, interviewed indepth
in in some urban and rural areas also reported that
they advise and accompany women to go to a health care
provider for ANC visits.
“I advised for check up myself so that we get to know
whether the newborn is in the right position or not
and also wanted to check whether the mother has any
problem or not.” (IDI, MIL- Killi Machan, Pishin).
“Going for check-ups was my own decision. I went
twice for check-ups, in 7 th and 9 th month and in other
months I didn’t need to go. My family supports me for
check-ups” (IDI, Mo-City One, Pishin).
“We tell our husbands about a problem then they
decide where to go. Mothers-in-law and husbands
usually decide on these matters, but they do not
oppose check-ups” (FGD- Faizabad, Khuzdar).
“She goes for check ups during pregnancy. These
women, you know, consult each other on these matters.
Then she used to ask me and I used to take her for
check ups” (IDI, Husband-Ali Khan, Haripur).
“Most mothers visit the hospitals in pregnancy in our
area” (FGD-Sarai Naurang, Lakki Marwat).
“In our village everybody goes for regular check up
even if they have to take loan but some people are
also careless and think that it is not necessary” (FGD-
Pind Matey Khan, Jhelum).
“I take money from my husband but it is in my hands
to decide whether I have to go to a doctor or not” (IDI,
Mo-Thallo, Dadu).
In Pishin and Khuzdar, those who go to the doctors prefer
private over government health facilities. Lack
of adequate health facilities at the government hospital,
malpractices, attitude and availability of the staff were
reported as reasons to avoid government hospitals.
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