Exploring sociocultural barriers to family planning among Mayans in Guatemala
Ward, V.M.; Bertrand, J.T.; Puac, F.
International Family Planning Perspectives 18(2): 59-65
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0190-3187 DOI: 10.2307/2133395Document Number: 319803
Levels of contraceptive use have increased substantially throughout Latin America in the last decade, largely because of the greater availability of contraceptive information and services. Much of this increase has occurred in urban areas with largely westernized populations. However, providing services to rural populations and indigenous groups has proven considerably more difficult and contraceptive use among these populations has remained low. There is a growing interest in focusing on these hard-to-reach groups. The article describes research on the sources of resistance to family planning among the Maya-Quiche communities of Guatemala. Focus-group research with nine groups of 8-12 participants, and in-depth interviews with 25 traditional birth attendants in 1990 indicate that social pressure against family planning is a substantial barrier to its use. Community leaders, religious leaders and husbands exert considerable influence on family planning decisions and usually oppose the use of contraceptives. Although Mayan participants found periodic abstinence acceptable, many believed that conception is least likely to occur in the middle of the menstrual cycle. The concept of birthspacing is a more acceptable way of promoting family planning than the theme 'responsible parents have small families', because of prevailing positive attitudes toward large families.