Confinement Following Child Birth and Associated Postpartum Mental Distress

Abstract

Objective: This study sought to explore confinement following childbirth and its association with mental distress. Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross sectional study design was used. The study was conducted in two districts of Zambia representing an urban and rural setting, targeting parenting mothers during the first two months after delivery. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the participants. Every second case seen at the study sites between March to August 2017 was selected to participate in the study. The data were collected using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables while binary logistic regression was used to check the combined impact of independent variables on mental distress. Ethical approval was obtained from the local Research Ethics Committees. Participation in the study was voluntary. Results: A total of 200 women participated in the study. The results revealed a high prevalence of mental distress, with 42 percent of women reporting severe levels, and 36.0 percent showing moderate levels. A statistically significant relationship was found between mental distress and confinement (X 2 = 29.289; P = 0.001), residential type (X 2 = 16.863; P = 0.001), and age (X 2 = 17.996; P = 0.006). Suicidal thoughts during confinement were also found to be prevalent in 16 percent of the participants. Binary logistic regression revealed that changes in

Midwives’ and obstetricians’ perspectives about pregnancy related weight management in Ethiopia: A qualitative study

“…Participants stated that postpartum women do not engage in exercise and typically stay inside for up to three months of the postnatal period in Ethiopia. Confinement to the home is a common practice in other cultures too [ 55 , 56 ], but the length of time is usually shorter (up to 40 days). Although a reasonable amount of rest is important to facilitate the transition to mothering, a prolonged time of decreased activity may lead to postpartum weight retention [ 57 ].…”

Provision of neonatal care: An African indigenous perspective

“…Even if three months of confinement is preferred, the mother is allowed to leave her room and do some housework or even go to work, but the neonate must remain confined and away from people who are not an immediate family (Tulelo 2021). An investigation in Botswana and Tanzanian related to abstinence from sexual relations between parents of the neonate was found to have similar results Mwape et al 2018;Rempel et al 2019). This preventive strategy is thought to improve neonatal weight gain while protecting both the neonate and the mother from additional ailments brought by evil spirits.…”

Child spacing and prevention of pregnancy among African indigenous people

“…Even if three months of confinement is preferred, the mother is allowed to leave her room and do some housework or even go to work, but the neonate must remain confined and away from people who are not an immediate family (Tulelo 2021). An investigation in Botswana and Tanzanian related to abstinence from sexual relations between parents of the neonate was found to have similar results Mwape et al 2018;Rempel et al 2019). This preventive strategy is thought to improve neonatal weight gain while protecting both the neonate and the mother from additional ailments brought by evil spirits.…”