The lived experiences of childbearing in a <em>basti</em>

Abstract

India's rapid socio-economic transformations have significantly impacted women's lives across the country, especially in urban slums (bastis). Despite ongoing challenges like high infant mortality, female infanticide, poor nutrition, early marriage, gender-based violence, and low workforce participation, women's experiences are evolving. Women, those specifically living in bastis, continue to face unique socio-economic challenges, including poverty, nutritional deficiencies, disease, and water-sanitation insecurity, compounded by low autonomy and weak social security nets. These conditions create a distinctive environment, described as "village in the city”. This research examines childbearing experiences among women in bastis within these specific socio-economic and cultural context. <br /> Using ethnographic data, this research explores how pregnancy is conceptualized and performed in a basti in Jaipur city. Key questions include how women in Nagar basti understand pregnancy and how these understandings influence their behaviors. This study highlights the importance of embedding reproductive health within its socio-cultural context to better inform health policies and services. <br /> Viewing pregnancy as both a physiological and social process, the research shows how pregnancy transforms bodily and social dynamics. It portrays basti women as pragmatic agents navigating their socio-economic challenges, asserting their agency through alliances, negotiations, and resistance to power dynamics. The study situates these micro-level transformations within the broader context of state-led medicalization of childbearing aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality. Policies like the introduction of ASHA workers and the Safe Motherhood Scheme (JSY) have institutionalized childbearing practices, shaping everyday pregnancy experiences. <br /> Emphasizing the diversity of pregnancy performances in bastis, the research uses personal narratives to reveal how women navigate their socio-economic and cultural landscapes to achieve a healthy pregnancy. Conducted in a heterogeneous slum cluster in Jaipur, Rajasthan, this research provides valuable insights into the interplay of socio-economic, cultural, and medical factors in shaping pregnancy experiences, informing strategies to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in urban slums.