Postpartum cultural practices contributing to maternal deaths in Lundazi district- Zambia

Abstract

The problem of maternal deaths affects all nations. This study explored postpartum cultural practices surrounding deaths associated with post childbirth in Lundazi district -Zambia. The study used a cross-sectional study design with a qualitative approach. The study used 30 Small Motherhood Action Group members (SMAGs) as study units. Three Focus Group Discussions were conducted during the month of May 2018. This study found that some postpartum women in Lundazi district-Zambia used dirty, contaminated cloths as sanitary pads. The study also found that women who sustained tears, bruises or lacerations during childbirth treated their childbirth wounds by padding or inserting into their birth canals, herbal medicines prepared under unhygienic conditions. The reality of the existence of unsafe postpartum cultural practices should never be ignored or minimized as this borders on complications and death of women after childbirth. Despite the existence of a vibrant modern health care system, women slide into harmful cultural practices post childbirth which endanger their health and their lives. The cultural practice of inserting traditional herbal medicines prepared under unhygienic conditions into the vagina for treatment of bruises, cuts and lacerations exposes women to large concentrations of harmful micro-organisms placing them in the red zone of developing complicated ascending infection with consequent death in case of delay to access health care services.