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. Select your child's age in months to begin tracking their development. 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. The various ethnic groups have different cultural beliefs and practices towards prenatal, antenatal, and peripartum periods. UT Southwestern staffs a range of interpreters, but when a needed language isnt available, we useLanguageLine, a paid service through AT&T. That notwithstanding, participants also agreed that generally, there was the need for one to space the children. It used to be the case that families would need to pay the full medical costs of childbirth directly to the medical institution where the mother gave birth, but in 2011 a direct payment system was introduced which allows the medical institution to claim the childbirth lump-sum allowance on your behalf, thus reducing the burden of an otherwise large payment. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068216. While pregnancy and childbirth is a universal experience, having a baby in another culture can be full of surprises. The predominant language is Twi. Another tradition says being pregnant with a boy makes a womans hair thick and shiny, while a girl does the opposite. The district has a population of 69,186 which represents 1.4% of Ashanti Regions population. Food restrictions were also reported during pregnancy. Our patients represent a broad spectrum of ethnicities and walks of life, as well as a tapestry of beliefs and customs that help shape their values. In any case, the more popular hospitals get booked quickly so its important to act fast. 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. To explore Korean beliefs and attitudes towards pregnancy, birth and postpartum practices: . All FGDs were conducted in the community at an agreed time suitable for the participants. There was, however, no consensus on the strategies used to prevent unplanned pregnancy. For example, we see patients with a variety of circumstances and unique situations, such as women with more than one partner, same-sex couples, and patients who aresurrogatesfor other couples. In other words, you cannot continue to attend a separate clinic all the way up until labor and then turn up at the other hospital just to give birth. .Having sex with your partner makes delivery safe and smooth and will also prevent your husband from going out to have extra marital affairs (Elderly woman, FGD). The maternity vouchers act as discount vouchers; they do not cover the full cost of the check-ups. Objective: To examine women's embodied knowledge of pregnancy and birth, women's explanations of precautions during pregnancy and birth and preparations for easy birth and the role of a traditional midwife in a Thai birthing care. Parents also dress newborns in red, which is considered good luck and keeps evil spirits away. (Its also common for parents to talk to baby inside moms belly and ask her for an easy delivery.) We conducted a literature search of articles: a) focusing on Asia; b) relating to pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum, c) relating to traditional beliefs and/or cultural practices; and 4) published in English in the year 2000 or more recently. Japanese women are advised to have prenatal visits every 4 weeks through 23 weeks gestation, every 2 weeks from 24 to 35 weeks, and every week after 36 weeks, for a total of 14 prenatal visit for a low to medium risk pregnancy. Mwakawanga DL, Mwilike B, Kaneko M, Shimpuku Y. BMJ Open. The Japan Taxi app is okay in the Tokyo area but its not something I would want to rely on in an emergency. Globally, about 830 women die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications every day and this is unacceptably high (Alkema et al., Citation2016). Global Health and Human Rights for a Postpandemic World. Some participants were of the view that yellowish discoloration of the eyes and palms of the baby are normal and will often resolve with time. Reservation enquiries need to be made even in the case where youre going for regular check-ups to the same hospital or clinic where you want to deliver (and thus the doctors and nurses are fully aware of your expected delivery date). Omiyamairis generally take place when boys and girls are 31 and 33 days old, respectively, although some geographic variations exist. 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. In addition, 22 in-depth interviews were conducted among health workers at district, subdistrict, and community levels. HIV Recency Testing: Should Results be Disclosed to Individuals Tested? Five women participated in a study of Japanese women's experience of pregnancy and childbirth in the United States. As a result, confinement during early pregnancy was a common practice as shown in the quote. You can begin making enquiries once you know your expected delivery date, which is usually around the 8-10 week stage of pregnancy. Pregnancy is acknowledged but not celebrated. Therefore, taking the national average figure of 505,759 ($3,723), the amount that you would have to pay from your own pocket is this figure less the childbirth lump-sum allowance, or about 86,000 ($633). Parents dress the babies up in detailed kimonos. During labour, we also give it the delivery is delaying. How natural is the supernatural? So, my baby also started feeling thirsty and will be crying uncontrollably. Thematic data analysis process consists of three interrelated stages namely data reduction, data display and data conclusion-drawing or verification (Miles & Huberman, Citation1994). To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites. Other prevalent beliefs and practices across Asian countries included massage, the state of pollution after childbirth, the use of traditional healers and traditional medicine and herbs, beliefs relating to hot/cold imbalance, behavioral taboos, magic, and superstition. And while crying babies arent exactly encouraged stateside, its the opposite in Japan, where crying contests, nakizumo, are held to see which baby cries first. 8600 Rockville Pike For the childbirth category, many articles examined beliefs and practices that helped to explain women's aversion to institutional births, such as preference for traditional birth positions, and fear of medical interventions. Another local practice in preparation for labour is engaging in sex. As a result, neonate and mother are confined for periods ranging from 1 week to about 40 days. According to SCT, three main factors affect the likelihood that a person will change health behaviour: (1) Self-efficacy, (2) Goals, and (3) Outcome expectancies. According to researchers, Asian women suffer the largest proportion of the worlds maternal deaths, and low rates of maternal health care utilization to access services persist. I do not like the family planning method we get from the hospital. Just ask any foreign woman who has given birth in Japan. The grandmothers other job is to help mom get back into pre-pregnancy shape with a routine that includes a belly-flattening massage with a towel dipped in hot water. Things to stay away from. Traditional beliefs and practices in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum: A review of the evidence from Asian countries According to researchers, Asian women suffer the largest proportion of the world's maternal deaths, and low rates of maternal health care utilization to access services persist. 3,000 to 5,000 per check-up after that (if blood tests are required this will increase the cost to 10,000-15,000), Inkan / Seal (if you have oneforeigners often just sign instead), An application form (available at immigration). Who needs a sonogram to show whether its a boy or girl? The qualitative data were audio-taped using a digital voice recorder. After each interview session, the recording was replayed to participants to listen and to make the necessary additions, subtractions, and clarifications deemed necessary. The CS is because of lack of sex during pregnancy (Woman with child under five year, FGD). From discount vouchers and booking hospital beds to the different types of medical facilities, the system of care and support can all seem somewhat arcane. Newborn health also constitutes a human right as specified in the Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNICEF, Citation2013). For the Western culture, we are forbidden to eat raw fish during pregnancy. Broadly speaking, there are three types of medical institutions in which mothers can give birth. The topic of sexuality has become more mainstream, but conversations can become awkward quickly without a culturally competent provider. For . What may surprise some is that the majority of hospitals, clinics, and maternity homes in Japan require expecting mothers to make a reservation for the birth in advance. These herbs are used at places where there is less expertise in managing antepartum and postpartum haemorrhage. Published By: Midwifery Design: In-depth interviews relating to traditional and changed beliefs and practices of pregnancy and childbirth with Thai women in Northern Thailand. Participants in the FGDs mentioned food restriction during the period of puerperium. Japan is also one of a handful of countries where episiotomy is still widely practiced. Maintaining health during pregnancy and postpartum involves many things that should be done as well as many things that should be avoided. Relationship trajectories of pregnant women with their parents and postpartum depression: A hospital-based prospective cohort study in Japan. While some participants mentioned their use of modern contraceptive methods, others preferred the natural family planning methods as illustrated with the quotes below: What I see is if the man wants to sleep with you and you dont use any medicine you can easily give birth even if you have a small baby already. 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. To let them rest and focus on caring for their infant, female relatives and friends pitch in with household responsibilities like cooking, cleaning and taking care of other children. Cultural and traditional practices, values, and beliefs have been identified by Bazzano et al. In principle, the maternity vouchers cannot be re-issued. This was done to get a better understanding of the socio-cultural beliefs and practices among pregnant women in the community. The authors wish to thank all study participants for their time. It is said that it helps women to have easy and smooth delivery (Elderly woman, FGD). As a person adopts new behaviours, it causes changes in both the environment and in the person. Though many women today have come to believe that there are choices surrounding pregnancy and birth, the beliefs and practices of providers, insurers, and hospital administrators play a major role in either influencing those choices or dictating how they will be manifested. These practices were often aimed at restoring the mother to pre-gestation state and also facilitate the growth of the baby. This was illustrated by the following quotes: .When you are pregnant with a girl there is a place in the womb she sleeps and with a boy too, he has a place he sleeps in the womb (woman with child under five, FGD). Fourth, the cultural factor?principally the beliefs surrounding conception, miscarriage or delivery and maternal health in connection with the role of the midwife (see Rubel, et. 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. 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). 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. Purposive sampling is a non-probabilistic sampling procedure where researchers choose the sample based on who they think are appropriate for the study (Green & Thorogood, Citation2004). Mothers have the option to take a cash grant instead, but the majority opt for the starter kit, which is worth a lot more. Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab. All the interviews were moderated by the lead author. That works only when someone wants to be treated the same way as you. To reduce this, policymakers and healthcare providers must encourage women with traditionally low rates of maternal health care utilization to access services. 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. Table 1. Typically, these will go: Naturally, the actual frequency will depend on your own situation following consultation with your doctor. On the seventh day for a Yoruba girl and the ninth day for a boy, theyre given water (to have no enemies), palm oil (for a smooth, stress-free life), kola nut (for a long and healthy one) and salt and pepper (to keep things exciting and spicy). 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. Skip to Site Navigation Minato Citys website is also a good source for updated information in English. 2013 Oct;29(10):1173-81. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2013.06.002. In Bangladesh, an earlier study reported that confinement of the mother and baby was observed until noai ceremony on day 7 or 9 to protect the baby against any evil (Winch et al., Citation2005). or 817-882-2400, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Some measures are therefore taken to protect the neonate against any such thing in the community. However, certain beliefs tend to make these moments also prone to certain rituals and . In Tokyo, your best bet is hospitals and clinics in Minato Ward and Shibuya Ward. However, some aspects of Japanese prenatal care may leave foreign women bemused, bewildered or even belligerent. These social practices tend to affect utilisation of some essential maternal and child health practices. Ripe plantain for instance, is believed to cause false labour whilst egg is forbidden because of the belief that the baby will become a thief in future. To better understand maternal health in Asia, Mellissa Withers, associate professor of clinical preventive medicine; MPH student Nina Kharazmi; and clinical research coordinator Esther Lim at the Keck School of Medicine of USC conducted a literature review of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum practices in Asian countries. Eating soup with nails of pig: thematic synthesis of the qualitative literature on cultural practices and beliefs influencing perinatal nutrition in low and middle income countries. Before However, majority of them reported that they do not adhere to this practice due to several reasons. The sequence of events that followed is not entirely clear, but according to Mrs. Koga, she carried the infant outside and laid him on the bank of a pond. To address this problem, they indicated that during bathing for the babies, they apply warm compresses on the fontanelle and genitalia of female babies. 1845 N. Soto St.Los Angeles, CA 90032USA(323) 442-7233global.health@usc.edu, 2023 USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, Traditional beliefs and practices in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum: A review of the evidence from Asian countries, SDG Leadership Academy Fellowship Program: Global to Local, The Health and Human Rights Oral History Project, Program on Global Health and Human Rights, Rights-Oriented Research and Education for Sexual and Reproductive Health. This needs to be written by the referring doctor and will cost about 3,000. 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). In Japan, childbirth is believed to be a natural and beautiful experience that does not end once the baby comes into the world. At the local city office you should submit a Birth Notification Form (, shussan-todoke). She felt uncomfortable having men except her partner in the room during delivery and recovery. Some patients request a male or female doctor due to cultural or personal preferences. However, there are some things that remain taboo in certain parts of the world. Doctors must approach these conversations differently from the way we might discuss less intimate procedures. By closing this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies. If your proposed name is rejected by the Standesamt, the office of vital statistics, you have to submit another one, and pay a fee each time. In P. L. Rice & L. Some were also of the view that sex restrictions could make ones partner engage in extra marital affairs. The following quotes are illustrations of that practice: There are herbs we give to pregnant women from five months onwards to help in the birth process. Families here still practice a folkloric custom where a spoon, knife and fork are placed under three different chairs, and the mom-to-be chooses one to sit on. Here are some pregnancy beliefs and customs from different parts of the world. when the woman is almost due for delivery she must not eat ripe plantain, it is called kyem d3 which means that you will be feeling some sweet sensations in your body when you are pushing during pregnancy but the baby will never come out but that practice is now extinct so now we eat the ripe plantain (Elderly woman, FGD). Queries were also run in NVivo to quantify some of the qualitative data and the results exported and added to the qualitative data in the results. In the postpartum period, confinement was common because postpartum women were perceived to be weak, fragile and vulnerable to illness. and transmitted securely. If this does not resolve the issue or you are unable to add the domains to your allowlist, please see this FAQ. Also off limits: names that can negatively affect babys well-being (for example, Apple). You will have to wait for at least forty days before having sex or sometimes for three to six months after birth (Elderly woman, FGD). In effect, the context in which an individual is, tends to exert some control over the persons behavioural tendencies. 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). A pilot study was conducted in the Greater Accra region. After baby arrives, the new mom traditionally stays at her parents home for at least a month, and rests in bed for 21 days to recuperate and bond with baby, while family members pitch in with chores. A participant shared her views as follows: Males are stubborn, when you are pregnant and the baby is a male, you will often suffer and your feet become swollen and you cannot even walk (Elderly woman, IDI). Consequently, when women are pregnant and the size of the uterus appears bigger in comparison with the number of months of pregnancy, then it meant that a male child was expected. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC BY license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Eleven (11) FGDs were conducted 5 among males and 6 among female community members. Theyre small items like candy and souvenirs, and she includes a note from baby thanking friends and family for visiting. However, accepting harmless social practices during labour will improve trust and cater for communitys worldview about childbirth and foster skilled delivery. If they do not feel that they can exercise control over their health behaviour, they are not motivated to act, or to persist through challenges. The questionnaire is available at immigration. Pregnancy is not covered under general health insurance in Japan. El ttulo del PDF Deje atrs las dudas sobre s mismo: consiga una base completa en la atencin perinatal eficaz, con Enfermera perinatal, 5. edicin, una publicacin oficial de la Asociacin de enfermeras obsttricas, neonatales y de salud de la mujer (AWHONN). Again, 2.9 million neonates die, with three-quarters of these deaths taking place in the first 7 days of life (UNICEF, Citation2012). Objective: However, neonates with these conditions may not have access to good medical care because of the mandatory confinement as a way of protecting the baby against evil eyes. Other prevalent beliefs and practices across Asian countries included massage, the state of pollution after childbirth, the use of traditional healers and traditional medicine and herbs, beliefs relating to hot/cold imbalance, behavioral taboos, magic, and superstition. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Invariably, the health care that a mother receives during pregnancy, at the time of delivery, and soon after delivery is important for the survival and well-being of both the mother and her child. Socio-cultural practices generally have been reported to affect child survival (Adatara et al., Citation2019; Wright et al., Citation2014). Some women have preference for giving birth in the squatting position, which is mostly the style prescribed by the TBAs. Design: With the aid of NVivo 11, the data was analysed thematically. ), but these should be covered under your general health insurance. The study concludes that socio-cultural beliefs are common and transcend the entire peripartum period. Objective Pregnancy and child birth is the most critical period in the health of women and children and the objective of this study was to explore traditional practices among mothers during . Since the 1930s, new moms in Finland have received the ultimate care package from the state, filled with baby necessities like clothes, diapers, bedding, bibs and a first aid kit, all in a cardboard box that can do double duty as a crib. Just ask any foreign woman who has given birth in Japan. In order to collect the residence card you would ordinarily need to show your childs passport, but this may not have been issued yet. Parents have to stick to a list of accepted names approved by the government when filling out a birth certificate. 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. The following quote buttresses this assertion by participants: I put towel in hot water and put it the babys fontanelle then I use the hot water to douche the babys navel, private part and buttocks. The following quotes reflect these views: I give them food, starting from the fourth month because my breast milk is small. The majority of participants come from Western nations.