A qualitative study of Asian women's ideas and expectations of pregnancy, motherhood and postnatal depression

The aim of the study was to explore expectant Asian mothers' constructions of pregnancy and motherhood, including their perceptions of postnatal depression, and views on help-seeking for the postpartum. Relatively few studies have examined these areas previously, and there was a need for a thorough and rigorous investigation of these issues from the perspective of the individual.;Data was collected from seven first-time pregnant mothers of South Asian origin, from a variety of backgrounds using semi-structured interviews. The chosen methodology was a social constructionist revision of grounded theory. Through the use of systematic procedures, this approach enabled the diversity of individual accounts to be addressed and the influence of the researcher's perspective to be considered.;The results identified a number of related themes, suggesting that women positioned themselves in relation to two competing versions of pregnancy and motherhood, described as naturalised and problematic. In addition, the findings indicated that participants used a psychosocial framework for understanding maternal distress. The usefulness and relevance of the label 'postnatal depression' to define the experiences of women during this period, was therefore discussed. It was demonstrated that there were several interacting factors involved in the process of deciding whether, and how to access help for postnatal difficulties.;Shaping women's perceptions and expectations was a number of cultural and social factors. The analysis indicated that women interpreted their ideas in terms of their relationship to two competing stories around womanhood, identified as traditional and non-traditional. This had particular implications for the probability of engaging in help-seeking for emotional distress.;The results are discussed in relation to the existing literature. Recommendations for professionals and services working with Asian mothers, as well as suggestions for future research are presented.