The Postpartum Period And Myanmar Women

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Introduction

The postpartum period, which starts about an hour after the delivery of the placenta and the following six weeks, is a critical time for a woman (WHO, 1998). Though the first hours, days and weeks after childbirth are hazardous for both mother and newborn, inadequate postpartum care was widespread all over the world (WHO, 2010). In Myanmar, approximately 1.3 million women give birth each year. Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) per 1000 live births in the country is 3.16 in 2004-2005, 1.4 in urban and 3.63 in rural areas (Ministry of Health, 2009a, Ministry of Health and UNICEF, 2006). Myanmar is one of the four countries with high MMR in UNFPA South and South-East Asia region (Ministry of Health, 2009b). According to nationwide cause specific maternal mortality survey (2004-2005), postpartum haemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal death (30.98%). Maternal mortality due to puerperal sepsis was 7.04% (Ministry of Health and UNICEF, 2006). These can be reduced by proper postnatal care with adequate considerations of cultural beliefs and practices during postpartum. Postpartum beliefs and practices may be neutral, beneficial and harmful effects and these may act as barriers for receiving professional guidance. {Myanmar postpartum beliefs and Practices} One of the components of Reproductive Health Policy (2002) in Myanmar is identification of effective socio-cultural practices beneficial for reproductive health (Department of Health, Myanmar 2004). Many international studies highlighted traditional postpartum beliefs and practices (Lee, R.V. et al 1988, Steinberg 1996, Liu et al. 2006, Craig, 2009, Harvey and Buckley 2009). However, there have been a handful of documents on postpartum beliefs and practices in Myanmar. Th...

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