After over two decades of'doi moi', with rapid changes taking place in the economy, it is inevitable that there will also be significant social changes. This research aimed to provide a detailed ethnographic exploration in the area of maternity practices, health care and health services in their socio-economic context, in order to further sociological understanding of maternity care both by women and health professionals. At the heart is the hypothesis that women's' perspectives and their activities in daily life and in maternity care would reflect key aspects of these socio-economic changes. This research shows how women in a period of pregnancy and childbirth are deeply interwoven with their everyday experiences of domestic responsibilities and economic contributions. On the other hand, pregnancy and childbirth are closely linked to women's ideas ofthe 'happy family' and their status in family and society. This research also examines how socio-cultural factors influence the utilization of maternal health. care providers and services. In fact, by exploring the maternity practice and utilisation of health care service and health care provision, the broader aim of the research is to generate relevant socio-cultural information to assist in the development of safe motherhood intervention programs and to fulfil the gap between the actual needs and provision in health care at a grassroots level in the socio-culture context. The focus of my research is the dialectical relation between two reciprocally related orientations: it is to study the social, cultural and economic influences to maternity care practices and how these practices contribute to the socio-cultural ideas concerning maternity care at the grassroots level in a transitional society.