Table 2 Themes subthemes and excerpts

Perceptions

Belief in Witchcraft

I believe the witch…and wizards they are at work every now and then. Sometimes, they will hold some women at home and say don’t go to hospital. They will be talking inside of them, sometimes they will even come in person advising them, “do you want to go to hospital, don’t go”! “If you go, they will give you some drug that will miscarry your baby, that it will lead to abortion (RA/IDI/04).

Pregnancy Announces Itself

…during the first pregnancy, in fact during the first months, you ought not to disclose the fact that you are pregnant until the pregnancy is visible to people. There is that belief that it kind of guides you from evil eyes; people will not harm you. By the time your pregnancy is visible to everybody, the stage of harming you is already over (RA/IDI/01).

Why they don’t register immediately they get pregnant is because…maybe you came to the hospital with pregnancy of two, three or four months …and on reaching there you will see that your family is there, your relations, your friends …they will know earlier, and you will have problems (RA/IDI/08).

I Cannot Tell People I am in Labour

Some people might hate you, so if you are delivering, they will go spiritual and do something bad over your head for you not to deliver, so that will make you not to tell your relations(UA/IDI/03).

Unspoken Acquiescence to the Culture

Our elders (abo Ogujuo) are respected, and what they say is important we listen to them (RA/Observation/ 01).

Enabler

Home Births

Truly, when I deliver at home, I am greatly supported by my family and friends… give me my medicine, give me my food, and cook for me for seven days…and serve all my children (UA/IDI/08).

People say they do home delivery because they don’t have money. That if you go to the hospital they charge (UA/IDI/03).

I deliver at home because, if my labour comes, it will come very easily to me; it does even take 20 to 30 min before I deliver (UA/IDI/08).

many labour come out in the night and you came to the hospital, you cannot meet any nurse (RA/FGD/04).

Nurturers

You are not Woman Enough!

I felt bad… when I am crying some of my doctors came to advise me that I should not cry, that it is the normal way of delivering, but then my mind was not at rest. I was crying because my others are not giving birth in that way (RA/IDI/03).

When I heard what they said that you don’t have waist, she went into labor for four days, I said the major thing is that my baby is here and I am alive (RA/IDI/06).

I Want My Placenta!

That is how I disposed of my own when I give birth in the hospital, my husband brings it back to where we live and then buries it there (UA/FGD/01).

Rising Matriarchs

Like me, if I see any of my friends, I will ask them I hope you are attending a good clinic. We don’t want anything to happen to you or your baby. They always laugh and say you are always concerned. Yes, I am concerned; I don’t want anything to happen to my friends (RA/IDI/O1).