POWERLESSNESS OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE FAMILY IN MEDAN BELAWAN DISTRICT

Abstract

This study aims to explore the powerlessness of pregnant women within the family in Medan Belawan District, Medan City. The method used is participatory action research with a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and field observations. Participants consisted of 34 people including pregnant women, families, health workers, cadres, and community leaders selected by purposive sampling. The results revealed four dimensions of powerlessness experienced by pregnant women: (1) Economic powerlessness, wherein pregnant women are fully financially dependent on their husbands’ unpredictable fishing income, creating a chronic food insecurity cycle; (2) Relational powerlessness, in which pregnant women occupy subordinate positions in family decision-making, including in food selection and preparation, thus inhibiting them from demanding fulfillment of their nutritional needs; (3) Informational powerlessness, where access to meaningful health information is limited—pregnant women routinely attended posyandu but lacked substantial understanding, to the extent that severe anemia went unrecognized; and (4) Cultural powerlessness, where cultural norms prohibiting pregnant women from asking too much and food taboos—including a ban on consuming crab (baby crab)—structurally hinder access to the best local iron sources available in their environment. These findings confirm that anemia in pregnant women in coastal communities is not merely a nutritional problem, but a multidimensional social and structural phenomenon that requires an empowerment-based intervention approach.