Power asymmetries in public policies that perpetuate discrimination and sociocultural barriers in indigenous maternal care in Mexico
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19491992 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Diana Matías-Pérez (0000-0002-6592-9342, Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca), Araceli Guerra-Martínez (0000-0002-3963-169X, Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca), Gildardo Oswaldo García-Montalvo (Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca), Moisés Martínez-López (Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca), Ethel Lira-Marcial (Hospital Psiquiatrico Infantil Juan N Navarro), Enrique López-Ramírez (0000-0002-7526-5199, Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca), Iván Antonio García-Montalvo (0000-0003-4993-9249, Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-29 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Political Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2673-3145 • E-ISSN: 2673-3145 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpos.2026.1783877 |
| OpenAlex | W7162765230 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
The maternal care received by indigenous women in Mexico suffers from severe structural discrimination, and sociocultural barriers limit their access to and the quality of the health services they receive. These include institutional prejudices, racist stereotypes, language barriers, conflicts between ancestral practices and the dominant biomedical model, as well as structural conditions such as rural poverty and lack of infrastructure. In addition to the above, racialization and obstetric violence exacerbate these inequalities, generating mistrust and reduced use of services, resulting in high maternal and perinatal mortality rates compared to non-indigenous women. This commentary focuses on how power asymmetries in public policies perpetuate ethnic and gender exclusions. Promising strategies include integrating traditional midwives, intercultural training for health personnel, and language mediators, as established by NOM-020-SSA-2025. These initiatives promote inclusive models that respect cultural diversity, improve trust, and enhance maternal health outcomes. Political will is necessary and required to transform the system toward equity, combating structural racism to guarantee dignified reproductive rights
Ethnic group · Indigenous · Poverty · Public health · Public policy · Racialization · Racism · Sociocultural evolution · Structural violence · Cultural Competency in Health Care · Indigenous Health and Education · Migration, Education, Indigenous Social Dynamics
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| Highly cited | No |
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