Perception of motherhood and sociocultural factors in a rural community

Abstract

Motherhood in rural contexts is shaped by sociocultural factors that influence women's experiences and decisions in their daily lives. This research stems from the first phase of the project "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in Adolescents and Women in the Rural Parishes of La América and La Unión in the Jipijapa Canton," which aimed to analyze the perception of motherhood and sociocultural factors in a rural community. The study adopted a qualitative approach with a biographical narrative design in the rural parish of La Unión, Jipijapa Canton. Purposive sampling using the snowball sampling technique was applied, resulting in a sample of 11 women between 15 and 60 years of age. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The analysis of the results was conducted using linear transcription, yielding one general category, "Sociocultural Factors," and two axial subcategories: "Barriers to Access and Transportation," and "Confidence and Perceived Quality." The results show that sociocultural factors influence the perception of motherhood in the La Unión parish, where isolation, transportation, and access to information limit maternal care, while trust and humane treatment strengthen the connection with services. In conclusion, in the La Unión parish, motherhood is experienced in a rural setting, where distance, costs, and the treatment received influence access to health services.