Group ANC Guatemala Final Report

In 2019, MSH collaborated with Scope to co-design and implement a Group Antenatal Care (ANC) model to increase access to high-quality, culturally appropriate ANC services for indigenous women in the Guatemalan Highlands. The project, adapted from previous joint work in Uganda and Kenya, aimed to provide supportive, inclusive spaces for pregnant women come together to share experiences, receive information from health providers, form social bonds, and track the progress of their pregnancies. 

This report details the project’s key observations and findings – including the need for increased involvement of spouses and family members throughout pregnancy, the importance of incorporating traditional knowledge and practices into ANC service delivery, and the critical role that comadronas, or traditional midwives, play as an important bridge between indigenous communities and the public health system, among others – and recommendations for training providers on delivering culturally respectful health services.