Traditional beliefs and practices during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum among childbearing women in Oyi local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria

Cultural beliefs and practices are among the factors that determine the peculiarities of peoples’ way of life. This study focused on traditional beliefs and practices during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum among childbearing women in Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to determine the healthy and harmful traditional beliefs among childbearing women, determine reasons why childbearing women indulge in harmful practices, determine the association of demographic characteristics of the childbearing women in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State with their indulgence in harmful traditional practices during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Descriptive cross-sectional research design was utilized for the study; a sample of 400 respondents was selected through multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a questionnaire on traditional beliefs and practices during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Data collected were analysed using frequencies, percentages, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman-rank order correlation. The results showed that 93.3% of the respondents believed that childbearing women should eat well to produce enough breast milk. 38.5% of the women indicated their beliefs in avoiding eating meat of ugly animals. 43.75% of the respondents had the belief that pregnant women should not look at ugly animals, 64% of the respondents indicated that it is an acceptable reason for pregnant women to eat a special type of clay because it contains minerals that strengthen the bones of the baby , 40% indicated that applying palm kernel oil to the umbilical stump hasten healing of the stump. There was significant association between indulgence in harmful traditional practices and marital status of the childbearing women: k= 13.01, p=˂0.01. Also, Age was significantly related to their indulgence in harmful traditional practices: Rho= -0.11, p =0.03. Healthcare providers should be sensitive to their clients ’cultures when developing plan of care and should organize educational campaigns to help change harmful cultural beliefs and practices.