Inunngorfik – connection to land, inuit culture and giving birth in Kalaallit Nunaat: pregnant women’s and their families’ perspectives on the centralization of delivery services

In Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), childbirth is deeply embedded in cultural identity, community, and place. However, the centralization of maternity services increasingly requires pregnant women to travel away from their home communities to give birth, often alone and without familial support. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of 20 pregnant women and their families across the five health regions, using the Peqqissuserput model of Kalaallit Inuit health and wellbeing to understand sociocultural dimensions of health and well-being. Four key themes emerged: practicalities and birthing, being together or alone, family formation, and identity and sense of belonging. Findings reveal that centralization disrupts Kalaallit Inuit birth culture, diminishes the woman's role as the central figure, and leads to emotional distress, loss of shared family memories, and weakened community ties. In contrast, local births foster emotional support, cultural continuity, and a stronger sense of belongingness to the community for newborns. The study underscores that childbirth is deeply rooted in relational and cultural processes. Drawing on comparative Indigenous models, the findings advocate for culturally grounded, community-based maternity care that restores autonomy, strengthens family and intergenerational bonds, and preserves Inuit birthing practices in Kalaallit Nunaat.