This focused ethnography explored the beliefs, values, habits and behavioral patterns of diabetic pregnant women who were treated in Hospital Doutor Enrique Tejera, residents of three poor, urban communities in the city of Valencia, Venezuela. The purpose of this study was to find the meaning of self-care for these pregnant women. The Health Analysis, the Theory of Diversity, and the Universality of Cultural Care Models were used as theoretical reference for this article. The qualitative methods based on Anthropology of Health were essential for revealing the implicit within the women's behavior with respect to their own care. Three themes arose: health and nursing - cultural values of self-care; care practices and health; and caring for one's self while pregnant ensures a healthy newborn. The cultural themes revealed that the beliefs, values, habits, and behavioral patterns, according to the three modes of action identified, can be preserved, accommodated, and restructured to offer a culturally congruent care practice.
Nursing; Cultural anthropology; Pregnancy; Diabetes Mellitus