Pregnancy and Pregnancy Care Practice: The Lived Experience of the Bodos

Pregnancy and pregnancy care practice have social, cultural and biological significance in communities. Pregnancy care needs of communities have been met by traditional practitioners since time immemorial. Its roots can be traced in the practice of midwifery of ancient times. Today the practice of pregnancy care has evolved from management by advise on food and behavior to the application of advanced techniques capable for direct intervention at foetal level. This book attempts to bring out the meaning of pregnancy and the lived experience of pregnancy care of the Bodos in the context of available  services in communities – the traditional service which is based on tradition, culture, values and community ethos vis-à-vis the modern service that emphasises on safety and effectiveness for health outcomes. Pregnancy among the Bodos is understood as a natural part of healthy life; and pregnancy care as service given to a pregnant woman for safe pregnancy and delivery through counseling, prescription of health behavior, use of preventive, promotive, remedial and curative rituals and medicines including those based on nature when necessary, and proscription of taboos.

About the Author

JACOB ISLARY (b.1980) is an MSW from RCSS, Kochi and PhD in Social Work from TISS, Mumbai. He currently works as an Assistant Professor (Senior) with Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati and teaches core Social Work courses, research methodology and public health to Master students  and supervises PhD candidates at the University. He was also a visiting faculty of Social Work (2009-2010),  IGNOU-Center, Bongaigaon Government College, Assam. Prior to joining academics, Dr. Islary worked with various NGOs promoting livelihoods development,  education, community health and environment regeneration. He also worked with NRHM, Assam and was very closely associated with the implementation of Reproductive Child Health (RCH-II) Programme at district level aiming reduction of MMR and IMR through utilisation of Antenatal Care service and promotion of institutional delivery in rural areas of Assam. Dr. Islary’s research interest include public policy, sustainable development, human security, public ealth, governance and intercultural learning in higher education. He was a UGC-NET/ JRF scholar at TISS, Mumbai