ABSTRACT
In Cambodia, traditional postpartum practices culturally exist among
postpartum mothers despite delivery at home by TBAs or in health facilities before
returning home. This is ethnographic research exploring the traditional postpartum
practices among Cambodian mothers and analysing how socio-cultural factors
influence these practices. This is a qualitative study using in-dept interviews and
participant observation techniques in Tbeng Mean chhey district, Pheah Vihear
province Cambodia. Seven postpartum mothers within two months of delivery
were interviewed. One medical doctor, one secondary nurse, one traditional birth
attendant (TBAs), and one traditional healer for postpartum mothers were also
involved in the study, to get more information.
It was found that there are many kinds of traditional postpartum
practices that mothers follow. These practices are related to heating the body, food
restrictions and prescriptions, rest, personal hygiene, exposure to wind, rainwater,
and dew drops, sexual abstinence, and additional supernatural practices. The
adherence to the traditional cultural postpartum practices lasted 90 to 180 days.
These practices are based upon curative and preventive beliefs. However,
according to biomedical classification, these practices could be divided into four
items: beneficial, harmless, uncertain, and potentially harmful.
Traditional practices are still dominant in contemporary Cambodian
cultures. These practices are influenced by cultural and social factors. Local
beliefs, customs, and the lay referral significant female relatives play key roles in
recommending these practices.
Basing upon findings, several recommendations are made for designing
and providing appropriate safe motherhood health programs and further research.
The recommendation include changing the point of view of health staff toward
client cultures, providing information, and educating women in the benefits of
contemporary postpartum care and strategies to help them to integrate their beliefs
and modern ways of care. Recommendations for further research include study
with a broader target population, research to find out long term effects of
traditional postpartum practices on the mother’s and newborn’s health, and a study
to seek gender issues.