Iliyasu Z, Kabir M, Galadanci H S, Abubakar I S, Salihu H M, Aliyu M H
Department of Community Medicine, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
J Obstet Gynaecol. 2006 Apr;26(3):211-5. doi: 10.1080/01443610500508345.
Postpartum cultural beliefs and practices are widely prevalent in northern Nigeria. Using a cross-sectional survey, we set out to examine contemporary postpartum beliefs and practices among a cohort of 300 mothers in Danbare village, northern Nigeria. Common postpartum practices included sexual abstinence (100%), physical confinement (88%), hot ritual baths (86%), nursing in heated rooms (84%) and ingestion of gruel enriched with local salt (83%). The majority of mothers (93%) believed that these practices made them stronger and helped them regain their physiologic state. Most respondents believed that non-observance could lead to body swelling, foul-smelling lochia and perineal pain. Mothers with formal education were significantly more likely to believe that these practices were non-beneficial compared with those mothers without formal education (odds ratio (OR) = 9.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.6 - 28.8). Almost half of the respondents (49%) said they would continue with these practices. In conclusion, women are still holding on to postpartum cultural beliefs and practices in northern Nigeria. However, educated women could act as useful agents of change towards the elimination of practices harmful to the health of mothers and their children.
产后文化信仰与习俗在尼日利亚北部广泛流行。我们采用横断面调查方法，对尼日利亚北部丹巴尔村的300名母亲进行了研究，以考察当代产后信仰与习俗。常见的产后习俗包括禁欲（100%）、身体禁闭（88%）、热仪式浴（86%）、在温暖的房间里哺乳（84%）以及食用富含当地盐的稀粥（83%）。大多数母亲（93%）认为这些习俗能让她们更强壮，并有助于恢复生理状态。大多数受访者认为不遵守这些习俗会导致身体肿胀、恶露有异味和会阴疼痛。与未受过正规教育的母亲相比，受过正规教育的母亲更有可能认为这些习俗并无益处（优势比（OR）=9.9，95%置信区间（CI）=3.6 - 28.8）。近一半的受访者（49%）表示会继续遵循这些习俗。总之，在尼日利亚北部，女性仍然秉持产后文化信仰与习俗。然而，受过教育的女性可以成为推动变革的有力力量，以消除对母亲及其子女健康有害的习俗。
