Guarding the unborn amidst tradition and modernity: A grounded theory of culturally embedded information avoidance in Chinese pregnancy

Information avoidance has emerged as a critical focus within information behavior research. While existing studies have examined such behavior among pregnant women in diverse cultural settings, the socio-cultural dynamics shaping information avoidance in the Chinese context remain underexplored. Addressing this gap, this study investigates the multilevel, socio-culturally embedded factors that drive information avoidance among Chinese pregnant women. Guided by a grounded theory approach, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 pregnant or recently postpartum women residing in urban areas of northern China. Interview transcripts were systematically analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding procedures. The analysis identifies three interrelated dimensions as central to information avoidance practices: individual factors, information-related factors, and contextual factors rooted in Chinese familial and cultural systems. The findings reveal that China’s familial collectivism, pregnancy-related taboos, and indigenous knowledge systems uniquely shape and intensify information avoidance behaviors in ways that differ markedly from those documented in Western, individualistic contexts. Based on these insights, the study develops a context-sensitive theoretical model that elucidates culturally specific mechanisms underlying information avoidance and offers evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and healthcare providers to design culturally congruent information interventions for pregnant women in China.