article
Life histories, reproductive histories: rural South African women's narratives of fertility, reproductive health and illness
Journal of southern African studies • 27 (2) • Published In 2001 • Pages: 311-328
By: Harrison, Abigail, Montgomery, Elizabeth.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
Qualitative research in the field of reproductive health is important in elucidating an understanding of women's roles in both social and biological reproduction, and in gaining access to women's perception of their own health problems. In this study the authors examine rural Zulu women's perspectives on reproductive health and fertility as part of their life histories, and assessed knowledge of reproductive health and related practices. Findings indicate that, in spite of recent declines in fertility in South Africa, child bearing remains the princiiipal form of self-expression among older Zulu women, with fertility a necessary step toward achieving social status as a woman. This status, however, does not confer autonomy or power on women, but rather serves as a means of meeting social expectations (p. 311).
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Interviewing in research
- Basis of marriage
- Mode of marriage
- Parents-in-law and children-in-law
- Preventive medicine
- Conception
- Pregnancy
- Childbirth
- Illegitimacy
- Gender roles and issues
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Zulu
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2005
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Africa
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Southern Africa
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Medical Personnel
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- John Beierle ; 2004
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- no date
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- ca.1990s
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
- NotesAdditional notes
- Abigail Harrison and Elizabeth Montgomery
- Includes bibliographical references
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 75642679
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Zulu (African people)