Traditional medicine and modern public health have long failed pregnant women living in poverty. With birth outcomes less than optimal, they cumulate physical and psychosocial risks that are left unattended by approaches not based on the real needs of those women. The goal of this research was to describe and assess the empowerment process within a group of pregnant women living in poverty, a group of mothers from that community, and a group of health professionals all taking part in a prenatal peer counseling program. Interviews analyzed qualitatively led to the emerging middle range theory of prenatal peer counseling. The empowerment process, including group self determination, is described with both facilitating and limiting elements. If public health intends to attack problems of social justice, we will have to revisit our partnership and integrative models in order to look into other potential models.
Poverty; Prenatal care; Training