Perinatal Belonging and Support: A Qualitative Study of Black Women's Lived Experiences in Pregnancy Resource Centers.

Abstract

Objective: To present the experiences of Black women who visit pregnancy resource centers (PRCs), representing their unique voices while avoiding further marginalization surrounding such experiences.

Design: Lived experiences of Black women were explored using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach.

Setting/local problem: Participants were recruited from PRCs in San Bernardino County, California, in August 2024.

Participants: Female participants who self-identified as Black or African American, or as mixed ethnicity of the same heritage, who visited a PRC within the previous 12 months, and who could communicate their experiences in English were recruited using a passive sample.

Methods: Semistructured interviews included four core questions and two follow-up prompts that were evaluated and approved by the Loma Linda University Institutional Review Board. The semistructured interviews were recorded, transcribed, and manually reviewed for accuracy.

Results: Ten participants composed the sample. Participants had positive and negative experiences during their PRC visits related to four superordinate themes: (a) NavigatingSupport and Judgment, (b) Being Seen and Heard, (c) Perceiving Community and Belonging, and (d) Experiencing Spiritual Care.

Conclusion: Intangible themes presented by participants underscore the critical need to integrate experiential needs into the broader framework of perinatal nursing care and support in the community-based setting. Future research should prioritize centering lived experience, alternative care models, and intersectional analysis. Prioritizing equitable and culturally responsive care practices is the responsibility of all providers and supporters concerned with perinatal outcomes.