Antenatal care, care-seeking and morbidity in rural Karnataka, India: Results of a prospective study

“Pregnancy is special, let’s keep it safe” was the theme for World Health Day in 1998. Even if agreement existed on the best way to ensure a safe pregnancy in a resource-poor setting, provision is only half the story; the level and nature of the demand for a “safe” pregnancy also needs evaluating. How women themselves perceive the dangers of pregnancy and how they react to those dangers are important questions to answer.