WITHOUT MONEY, MEANS, OR MEN - AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN RECEIVING PRENATAL-CARE IN A HOUSING PROJECT

This study explored the experiences and context of pregnant African Am erican women who accessed prenatal care at a clinic located within a p ublic housing project. Access to prenatal care remains a problem for p oor African American women who risk higher rates of low birthweight ba bies as well as increased morbidity and mortality. Qualitative intervi ews were used to collect and analyze data from 13 women who lived in t he project. Convenience of care was the major factor that contributed to regular attendance at the prenatal clinic. However, women were preo ccupied with their day-to-day living situation, which included violenc e, crime, instability, and a lack of financial resources. Women in thi s study led complex lives, and traditional ways of viewing pregnant wo men do not encompass that complexity or the contextual factors that gi ve rise to the complexity of lives of women in the study.