Embodied Communication in Pregnancy Cravings: Socio-Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions of Mother–Fetus Interaction in Indonesia

Abstract

Cravings during pregnancy are often understood biomedically as a consequence of hormonal changes or nutritional deficiencies. However, within the Indonesian cultural context, cravings carry a much deeper meaning—they serve as a form of symbolic communication between the mother, the fetus, and the surrounding social environment. This study aims to understand pregnancy cravings as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing biological, psychological, spiritual, and cultural elements. A qualitative approach was conducted at Borromeus Hospital, Bandung (May–October 2024), involving 30 pregnant women in their second and third trimesters. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and cultural document reviews, then analyzed using grounded theory to identify emergent patterns of meaning. The results show that cravings represent a complex expression of the body and mind of pregnant women. Biologically, they relate to hormonal changes and energy requirements. Psychologically, cravings function as a channel for expressing emotions, anxieties, and affection toward the fetus. Spiritually, cravings are interpreted as an “inner calling” or a signal from the fetus’s soul that fosters a transcendental closeness to the Creator. Socially and culturally, cravings are manifested in rituals, myths, and family norms that strengthen community solidarity and affirm the father’s role in supporting the pregnant mother. By integrating the anthropological theories of the body (Csordas, Turner, Douglas), this study emphasizes that the pregnant body is not merely a biological entity but also a space of cultural experience. Cravings embody the communication between the mother’s and the fetus’s soul, expressed through sensations, symbols, and actions. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for developing maternal health policies grounded in local values and integrating medical approaches with the cultural and spiritual wisdom of Indonesian society. The findings of this study demonstrate that pregnancy cravings function as a cultural arena where social values—such as empathy, mutual cooperation, and gender relations—are renegotiated within families and communities. By positioning the pregnant body as a locus of meaning-making rather than merely a biomedical object, this research contributes to the discourse on decolonizing knowledge about pregnancy from a Global South perspective. The study shows that cravings are a form of communication that generates social change through the formation of more participatory gender roles and more egalitarian family relationships