title: Understanding healthy pregnancies: the perspective of Inuit midwives in northwestern Quebec.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For 25 years, Inuit midwives have provided perinatal and newborn care for about 90% of the pregnancies in northwestern Quebec. Patients in this region continue to have high rates of preventable nutritional deficiencies. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of professional midwives and students about what makes a healthy pregnancy and a healthy newborn.
  
  
  METHODS
  We convened, via teleconference, a semistructured focus group with the local midwives and students. The conversation focused on local understanding of a healthy pregnancy and a healthy newborn, and the role of midwives in the communities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four midwives and 6 students took part in the focus group, representing 80% of local midwives and students. All of the participants were women, and their professional experience ranged from 3 to 25 years. Through inductive thematic analysis, it became apparent that personal experiences and professional training were important determinants of opinions. Midwives believed that the health of women and infants could be improved through better food selection, particularly reliance on traditional nutrient-rich food. They were aware that iron deficiency was a problem and that infants required vitamin D; however, they reported that supplement uptake was poor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concern was expressed about a decline in traditional beliefs and about unhealthy behaviours. Participants advanced strategies to promote knowledge locally (e.g., visual aids, local radio) to attempt to reduce rates of nutritional deficiencies.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
authors.forename: Mary Ellen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.affiliation: Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
authors.forename: Laakkuluk Williamson
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Bathory
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shenker
authors.affiliation: School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que.
authors.forename: Hope
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weiler
authors.affiliation: Northern and Native Child Health Program; Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
authors.forename: Atul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011792:Quebec; D055815:Young Adult