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Table 1 Examples of meaning units, condensed meaning units, sub-themes and themes from thematic analysis of interviews with midwives

From: Home deliveries in the capital: a qualitative exploration of barriers to institutional deliveries in peri-urban areas of Lusaka, Zambia

Meaning unit

Condensed meaning unit

Code

Sub-theme

Theme

“like in some traditions, people are restricted on what to eat; some are not allowed to eat eggs which is not good…and others are told when they deliver them, they should not leave their placenta at the hospital

Some traditions have specific food and delivery restrictions

restriction

Prescribed behaviour

Traditional practices and teachings about labour

“you do not need to have sex with other men when you are married or when you are pregnant.... you can die whilst giving birth when you have sex with more than one man

Belief that infidelity can lead to death in labour

Sex and pregnancy myths

“they are told to drink something, ok the African syntocinon which they so much believe in that it works and the woman who doesn’t drink African syntocinon may stay in labour for more than 3 days”

Given herbal concoction to speed up labour

Going against nature

Traditional interventions

“some women are also taught or they believe that they should take something to accelerate labour, so that when they come to deliver their labour is quicker they don’t stay a longer period in that painful period [of labour] but then at the end of the day most of them end up having precipitated labour… that has its own implications”

Traditional interventions can lead to delivery complications

Negative outcomes