Seeking safe passage: utilizing health care during pregnancy.

This grounded theory study was conducted to explore how women utilize health care during pregnancy. The 27 women who were interviewed had sought prenatal care early, late or not at all. Transcriptions from the interviews were subjected to constant comparative analysis. The major concern of the women was seeking safe passage through pregnancy and childbirth. Processes used to achieve safe passage were searching for care, consulting, transferring, waiting, contingency planning and self-care. Discussed in this paper is the role that choice plays in utilizing care and transferring some elements of prenatal care to women to manage themselves.