Register a free Taylor & Francis Online account today to boost your research and gain these benefits: Socio-cultural beliefs and practices during pregnancy, child birth, and postnatal period: A qualitative study in Southern Ghana, 1 World Health Organization Country Office for Ghana, Ghana;2 Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana, Cultural beliefs and practices of women influencing home births in rural Northern Ghana, Global, regional, and national levels and trends in maternal mortality between 1990 and 2015, with scenario-based projections to 2030: A systematic analysis by the un Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00838-7, Maternal death in rural Ghana: A case study in the Upper East region of Ghana, Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective, Beyond symptom recognition: Care-seeking for ill newborns in rural Ghana, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01981.x, Community-based interventions for improving perinatal and neonatal health outcomes in developing countries: A review of the evidence, Maternal care practices among the ultra poor households in rural Bangladesh: A qualitative exploratory study, Causes of neonatal deaths in a rural subdistrict of Bangladesh: Implications for intervention, Qualitative research designs: Selection and implementation, Time to initiation of breastfeeding and neonatal mortality and morbidity: A systematic review, https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-S3-S19, A review of cultural influence on maternal mortality in the developing world, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2012.04.002, A two-year review of uterine rupture in a regional hospital, Healthcare in Low-resource Settings: The individual perspective, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_2695, Huge poor-rich inequalities in maternity care: An international comparative study of maternity and child care in developing countries, Contextual social cognition and the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia, https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182518375, An intervention involving traditional birth attendants in Pakistan, Every newborn: Progress, priorities, and potential beyond survival, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60496-7, Cultural childbirth practices and beliefs in Zambia, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02709.x, Perception of care in Zambian women attending community antenatal clinics, The Ghana community-based health planning and services initiative for scaling up service delivery innovation, Orthodox versus unorthodox care: A qualitative study on where rural women seek healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth in Southwest, Nigeria, Food prohibitions and other traditional practices in pregnancy: A Qualitative study in Western Region of Ghana, The effect of community nurses and health volunteers on child mortality: The Navrongo community health and family planning project, https://doi.org/10.1080/14034940701349225, Nyo dua hli30 days confinement: Traditions and changed childbearing beliefs and practices among Hmong women in Australia, Maternal mortality in Ghana: The other side, Committing to child survival A promise renewed, Phenomenological research methods for counseling psychology, https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.2.167, Local understandings of vulnerability and protection during the neonatal period in Sylhet district, Bangladesh: A qualitative study, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66836-5. For example, not all places can offer painless delivery (an epidural injection during labor to relieve pain); others have more advanced ultrasound technology, and so on. As for okro, it will make the baby have diarrhoea (Woman with under- five child, FGD). The CS is because of lack of sex during pregnancy (Woman with child under five year, FGD). In effect, the context in which an individual is, tends to exert some control over the persons behavioural tendencies. Asian women suffer the largest proportion of the world's maternal deaths. Religious beliefs are important in the promotion of a healthy pregnancy and in the prevention of problems during pregnancy and following birth. Pregnancy, child birth, and care are cherished moments in most communities in Ghana. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of reservation. Purposive sampling was used to select focus group discussion participants (13) among community members, pregnant women whose gestation was at least 6months, and women with babies less than 6 months of age. We recommend the safest, most effective treatments based on medical knowledge. Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. This was mentioned and corroborated in the following quotes: An unborn child can be bewitched by so pregnant women will have to stay at home. It was the general view that people could use their evil to cause an abortion during early pregnancy. However, certain beliefs tend to make these moments also prone to certain rituals and concealment, all in an attempt to ensure that there is no mishap during any of these periods. If the monikers not on the list, they have to make a strong case for why the state should make an exception. They normally use some herbs which they add to about seven palm fruits, smoked mudfish and about three fingers of plantain to prepare a particular type of soup called Abedru and they start taking it when the pregnancy is about five to six months and they take it till they deliver. If individuals have a sense of personal agency or self-efficacy, they can change behaviours even when faced with obstacles. An official website of the United States government. A woman's cultural background can affect her needs and expectations during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as how she and her family raise children. There are two reasons for this. If you're not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site. All FGDs were conducted in the community at an agreed time suitable for the participants. To support families with the cost of raising a child, child benefit is provided to all families. The future of OTC contraceptives. The predominant language is Twi. The following quotes reflect these views: I give them food, starting from the fourth month because my breast milk is small. Men are household leaders in various cultures, and some Ob/Gyn patients defer to their partner for medical decisions. All told, you should expect the checkups to cost about 100,000 ($736) in total (after the discount vouchers). Equally, hospitals which dont actively promote their ability to provide services in English may nevertheless have doctors and nurses with good language skills. The Dutch embrace natural childbirth, and their medical system reflects thatmost expectant moms see a midwife and only visit an ob-gyn for high-risk pregnancies or complications. The following quotes are illustrations of that belief: When a woman gives birth, she develops a wound which will have to be treated. Omiyamairi describes a prominent Japanese ritual that involves taking babies to the nearest Shinto shrines. To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites. Certain medical procedures associated with pregnancy, such ascircumcisionand blood transfusions in emergency situations, are not acceptable by all religions. The country has a high and rising proportion of underweight babies, defined as 2.5kg or less at birth. Newborn health also constitutes a human right as specified in the Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNICEF, Citation2013). Studies in Ghana and Nigeria have documented that pregnant women in these countries saw pedal oedema as a sign that a male child or twins will be born, and were not able to make the connection between the oedema and high blood pressure (Okafor et al., Citation2014; Senah, Citation2003). That also means most women won't even consider an epidural, even if their doctor recommends it. al. The following quotes support these views: The husband must have sex with the woman frequently to open up the place so that the woman will have a smooth delivery. Additionally, you may have costs relating to prescriptions for symptoms during pregnancy (e.g. for that one it is like a satanic illness, instead of the baby growing big after forty days, the baby will be growing small, soft body with Asram and the fontanelle is not closing up so when you are pregnant you must see those who have these medicines, they will give you herbs to drink and also use to prepare soup so even if someone wants to harm your baby after delivery it wont work (Woman with child under five, FGD). Front Nutr. Like Latin Americas cuarentena, mothers here are nurtured with a similar custom called la dieta. In rural areas, a father gives his wife a shirt thats damp with his sweat after a hard days work while shes in labor, which folklore says will give her strength. and ripe plantain too, that one when you eat it, it makes you defecate frequently. The authors wish to thank all study participants for their time. Instead the immigration bureau will accept a certificate or receipt from your embassy showing that you have applied for one. However, it turns out, that in as much as some of these beliefs and practices are helpful, some can be detrimental to both mother and child. Further, hospitals and clinics in Japan offer different levels of service, from the hotel-like treatment with your own separate room at the private hospitals to a more standard level of care elsewhere. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive review of the most common traditional practices in Asia relating to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. During the elaborate ceremony, the placenta is cleaned, put in a sealed container, wrapped in white cloth and then buried outside of the home. In Japan, tradition has long been that women who gave birth were expected to be confined indoors with their babies for the first 100 days postpartum. Of these, half gave birth within the past three years. Additionally, twentytwo (22) IDIs were conducted among key people in the community such as community health officers, midwives, opinion leaders, traditional birth attendants, and traditional medical practitioners. 5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG. Check out these fascinating, time-honored traditions from every corner of the globe. That is the reason why I delivered at the TBAs place. This according to participants was to protect the baby from evil people in the community. The ANC schedule is programmed such that a pregnant woman will have to make monthly visits during the first 7 months. These maternity vouchers are included as part of a maternity pack expecting mothers will receive from the local city office which also includes the Maternity and Children Health Handbook (, boshi-kenk-tech). Quality assessment of pre- and postnatal nutrition and exercise mobile applications in the United States and China. This practice which would not be accepted in the healthcare system was thus a barrier to the formal facility delivery unlike home delivery where it is accepted. I tried to practice exclusive breastfeeding but at a point in time the weather was too hot and as adult we sweat and feel thirty. This is crucial if Ghana is to achieve universal health coverage and access to essential perinatal care as envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Published By: Midwifery Beliefs and practices regarding delivery and postpartum maternal morbidity in rural Bangladesh. As a form of treatment for the wounds, herbs extracted from the bark of a tree nu bena was given to the women to enhance healing of the internal wound. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released acommittee opinionurging doctors to recognize that their approach to patients behaviors and beliefs can negatively affect patient communications. Things to stay away from. Maternity homes generally provide a more homely environment for natural births, and are typically cheaper than general and private hospitals. New moms here miss out on a lot of the fun. Participants in the FGDs mentioned food restriction during the period of puerperium. Japanese women's views of having children: the concepts of sazu-kara and tsuku-ru. At the local city office you should submit a Birth Notification Form (, shussan-todoke). Epub 2016 May 10. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. In several cases, the lack of knowledge of the underlying physiology of pregnancy also contributes to cultural definitions of pregnancy-related symptoms, and thus leads to inaction (Evans, Citation2013). Conclusion: This study concluded that the cultural beliefs held by these women greatly affected their decision to deliver at home. Just ask any foreign woman who has given birth in Japan. Maternal and neonatal mortality remain serious problems in low resource settings, where healthcare systems do not meet the minimum standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO; Goldstuck, Citation2014). It was therefore not advisable to eat it during that period. But today, particularly in culturally diverse communities such as the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, doctors must strive for cultural competence to provide optimal care. Este recurso integral recin actualizado ofrece pautas de expertos y mejores prcticas para la gama completa de . Incidentally, natural births are encouraged in Japan and places offering epidurals are limited, with those that do often only making them available during normal work hoursnot much help if you go into labour at midnight. Unfortunately, herbal remedies which are regarded to promote healthy delivery have been found to lead to severe bleeding that can be fatal according to a study in Bangladesh (Choudhury & Ahmed, Citation2011). These herbs are used at places where there is less expertise in managing antepartum and postpartum haemorrhage. It is one of the reasons why people do not go for antenatal in this community (Elderly woman, FGD). A participant shared her experience with the quote: When I gave birth, my baby was not well but we managed the condition at home I was afraid sending the baby to the hospital would expose her to witches in the community (Woman with child under five). Private hospitals and clinics are essentially the same thing (the distinction is one of size in terms of number of beds). The taped interviews were transcribed verbatim into Microsoft word. Sometimes I mash kenkey, sieve it and add lactogen to it (Postnatal woman, FGD). The participants included community members, pregnant women, and women with children under five years. Design: Another local practice in preparation for labour is engaging in sex. Another reason cited was the belief that babies get thirsty with time and therefore, there was the need to provide them with water. The Asante Akim North District with its capital Agogo is situated at the eastern part of the Ashanti Region. Pregnancy is not covered under general health insurance in Japan. As a result of this belief neonatal conditions had to managed at home because attendance to the hospital during that period was believed to create the opportunity for the baby to be bewitched. Of the 830 daily maternal deaths, 550 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa and 180 in Southern Asia, compared to 5 in developed countries (WHO, Citation2016). This is because some women choose to give birth at hospitals different to their regular check-up place because, for example, they want to travel back to their hometown to give birth so that they can be closer to their parents. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted In addition, when one is pregnant with a boy, the uterus is often bigger than when it is a female. To announce babys birth, parents place a stuffed stork in a window facing the street so it looks like the stork just flew in make the delivery. The transcripts were imported into NVivo 11 for windows for analysis. Children of foreign nationals born in Japan are granted permission to stay for 60 days without any status of residence. The various ethnic groups have different cultural beliefs and practices towards prenatal, antenatal, and peripartum periods. We must communicate in ways that make women feel cared for without judgment. Before Maternity homes (, josan-sho) are clinics that specialize only in delivery. In view of that, there are certain socio-cultural beliefs and practices that are supposed to buffer any untoward occurrence. Postpartum haemorrhage for instance, is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in Ghana and most of these deaths have occurred due to delays in referral or seeking health care. The SCT proposes that behaviour change describes a dynamic, ongoing process in which personal factors, environmental factors, and human behaviour exert influence on each other. Despite investments in interventions to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, progress has been slow, especially in developing countries. Neonates are perceived to be vulnerable to the evil eyes of jealous community members. At the ceremony the parents take turns feeding the baby, wishing he/she will have abundance of food throughout his/her life. With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. The issuance of a residence card for your child typically takes 14 days (the card will not show your childs photograph so you do not need to prepare one for the application). And we must ask the right questions to ensure that patients understand why we are making certain recommendations and how we will care for them in a thoughtful, open-minded manner. Further, what the medical institutions can and cannot offer in terms of medical services also differs. Careers. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. The codebook defined the various codes used during coding, their definition, when to use and when not to use such a code and examples of statements that should be considered for coding into particular codes. Consultation hours also differ; notably, not all places offer appointments at the weekend. The below is a brief overview of the types of properties in Japan and how they are listed, While a motorcycle can be the best way to get off the beaten track and see some of, There are many swimming facilities through out the capital, many of which are open relatively late into the, If you have held a valid motorbike license in your home country for more than three months, you, You can see the statistics by prefecture and type of institution here, Application for Certificate of Eligibility, Minato Citys website is also a good source for updated information in English, One checkup per month until your 23rd week, One checkup every two weeks from the 24th until the 35th week, Weekly checkups from the 36th week (40 weeks being the average term of pregnancy). If this is not treated, it can affect the womans health and that of the child (Postnatal woman, FGD). Pregnancy is the time that many women believe they can eat just about anything. Other practices that place mothers at risk of disability or death include applying fundal pressure to hasten the labour process, forced vomiting to initiate the placenta expulsion, use of herbal concoctions for treating maternal complications and childbirth in an isolated or unsanitary environment (Fofie & Baffoe, Citation2010; Maimbolwa et al., Citation2003). UT Southwestern staffs a range of interpreters, but when a needed language isnt available, we useLanguageLine, a paid service through AT&T. For . Anytime I get pregnant it does not stay, so I was told it is because when you are pregnant and you go out people will look at you with evil eyes to spoil your pregnancy.