Beliefs concerning dietary practices during pregnancy and lactation : a qualitative study among Iranian women residing in Sweden / Margary Ahlqvist

Thesis 20 p, public health 41-80 p. The aim was to explore cultural beliefs about food and health concerning pregnancy and lactation. Individual interviews were performed among first generation Iranian female immigrants in the county of Stockholm. Content analysis followed a grounded theory approach. 5 major categories emerged, which referred to 1) "hot-cold" values 2) foetal attributes 3) satisfaction of cravings 4) survival of the mother, and 5) quantity and quality of breastmilk. The study demonstrated maternal strength to be important for a successful pregnancy outcome and lactation. Displacement of food items caused by migration in combination with a strong adherence to Iranian health beliefs could cause food choices with detrimental health effects