Examines the values, beliefs, and practices surrounding pregnancy and childbirth of Ukrainians so that nurses can employ culture-specific care practices to maintain health within Ukrainian families. The theoretical underpinning of the study was M.M. Leininger’s theory of Culture Care, which rests on the assumption that the phenomenon of care can be discovered by examining the social structure, language, environmental context, and world-view of cultural groups. Study participants were Ukrainian women and men, between the ages of 34 and 68, living in the metropolitan area of Detroit, Michigan. Findings revealed that: (1) pregnancy and childbirth were an important part of the Ukrainian lifestyle, and that pregnant women were accorded great respect as well as family and community support; (2) during their pregnancies, all female study participants had sought professional prenatal care, and the women also identified the presence of their husbands during the pregnancy as an expression of care; and (3) both baptism and breastfeeding were common practices. Nurses assisting Ukrainian mothers should make sure that the newborn is with the mother as much as possible and that family members also share time with new mothers.
