In spite of the cultural, traditionaltaboo on the subject of pregnancy in most Africanhouseholds, the success of the Africare's ChildSurvival Project in Mali, documents the increasedcommunication, and behavior changes in health seeking duringpregnancy. Africare is a US-based private, voluntaryorganization, working in community development, and throughits efforts, constructed a maternity ward in the country,supported by government health professionals. The notedescribes the research work underwent by Africare toidentify both resources, and obstacles related to toimproved maternal health, and care-seeking. Findingsrevealed that both women, and men were well aware of therisks associated with pregnancy, enhanced by cultural traitswhich places a strong value on supportive husbands duringpregnancy. However, one of the most striking culturalobstacles to women's maternal health care, was theabsence of discussions on the subject, due entirely to thetaboo issue about sexual relations, and pregnancy. Followinga pilot maternal health campaign - based on cultural,traditional channels in identifying maternal, and pregnancyissues - the impact of the project was evaluated,demonstrating those channels used to communicate, can beeffectively innovated to adapt them to modern needs.
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