Following the cultural norms as an effort to protect the mother and the baby during the perinatal period: An ethnographic study of women's food choices

Formative research to understand food beliefs and practices relating to pregnancy on Kei Besar Island, Eastern Indonesia

BACKGROUND

Food-related beliefs and practices during pregnancy may contribute to the high prevalence of chronic energy deficiencies (CED) in Eastern Indonesia, particularly in Southeast Maluku regency, where 21.33% of pregnant women experience CED. Currently, little information on these issues is available. This study investigates food beliefs and practices related to pregnancy on Kei Besar Island in the Maluku province of Eastern Indonesia.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted utilizing in-depth interviews, free lists, and pile sort exercises. Data collection was conducted in January 2023 and involved married pregnant women aged 18 and above (n = 12), community health volunteers (n = 2), and traditional healers (n = 3) from 9 villages in Kei Besar District. All participants must be natives of Kei Besar Island, with community health volunteers and traditional healers being respective figures recommended by the local villagers.

RESULTS

The need to avoid or minimize consumption of certain foods during pregnancy, such as some kinds of fish, chili and spicy food, soda, pineapples, octopus, squid, and ice was reported by more than one-third of all participants. Consumption of prescribed foods, such as cassava leaves, papaya, coconut water, rice during early pregnancies, moringa leaves, bananas, and katok leaves was reported by five or more participants. These food proscriptions and prescriptions were due to concerns about the risks of miscarriage, adverse effects on the fetus and mother, and complications during labor. Participants also reported other practices, such as eating for two during early pregnancy and reducing food intake in late pregnancy. We found that food beliefs have shaped the dietary patterns of most participants. However, they still consumed food recommended by community health volunteers and midwives.

CONCLUSIONS

Food beliefs are present and practiced in the Kei Besar community and may impact the nutritional status of women and their infants. Interventions should target training healthcare providers and community health volunteers to provide culturally appropriate health education that incorporates prescribed local ingredients and provides nutritionally adequate substitutes for the proscribed food items.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

Pantangan Makanan pada Suku Muyu di Papua

ABSTRACT Background: Food for the Muyu tribe was an actualization of daily life over the belief in the religious dimension that is adopted and lived. This study aims to explore the food taboo among the Muyu tribe in Indonesia.Methods: The authors conducted the case study in Mindiptana, Boven Digoel, Papua. The study carried out data collection by participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and document searches. The authors carried out the report using an ethnographic approach an emically perspective.Results: Belief in the lord of wild animals, the lord of fruits and plants, and the lord of sago, was so thick that many spells appear to hunt and search for food in the forest, which was a form of recognition of the power of these. The Muyu tribe had restrictions on several types of food. Food can be taboo based on its physical form; meanwhile, because of Muyu people's belief that there was a bad quality inherent in these food ingredients. It was especially closely related to ritual practice for men as a process of undergoing initiation as a big man. The Muyu intended women taboo for mothers who are pregnant and breastfeeding. Abstinence for pregnant Muyu women was often related to the fetus in the womb. For children, especially for boys, it was almost the same as abstinence for adult Muyu men. This abstinence applies to boys who were prepared to be tómkót, especially when undergoing the initiation process.Conclusions: The food taboo applies to all Muyu people, both men, women, and children.

The role of cultural beliefs on eating patterns and food practices among pregnant women: a systematic review

CONTEXT

Despite the importance of cultural beliefs in clinical practice, few systematic reviews have investigated how these beliefs influence food practices in pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of cultural beliefs in eating patterns and food practices among pregnant women, highlighting food recommendations, food taboos and restrictions, and their association with health.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic review was conducted using the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science from May 2014 to May 2019.

DATA EXTRACTION

Articles were included if the studies included pregnant women, analyzed how cultural beliefs may influence eating patterns, were peer-reviewed articles with original data, published in the last 5 years, and in English or Spanish language. Quality assessment was also performed.

DATA ANALYSIS

A total of 544 articles were identified in the search and 24 were included in the final analysis (17 using qualitative design, 6 using quantitative design, and 1 with a mixed-design). These studies were predominantly from the African continent (n = 15). Our findings showed that culture is a key factor related to "taboos" and food restrictions, which are transmitted by the family or members of community, having a strong religious or spiritual influence. All these restrictions are related to the fear of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes such as the risk of abortion, dystocia, and congenital macrosomia, or are used to avoid child problems such as cutaneous and respiratory disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study indicate cultural beliefs are strongly associated with food patterns and eating habits in pregnant women. Administrators and health professionals should be aware of these beliefs to minimize problems in the perinatal period.

“Diberi air gula… awalnya nangis menjadi diam, karena kenyang, gak lemas, daya tahan tubuhnya meningkat”; Studi Pola Asupan pada Bayi

Background: Babies were vulnerable to health and nutrition problems. WHO states that 60% of deaths of children under five were caused by malnutrition. Of these, two-thirds of them were caused by improper feeding of babies. Objective: to describe patterns of food intake in infants in Kepung Village, Kediri District.Methods: The study was designed qualitatively with an ethnographic approach. Data collection was performed using in-depth interviews and participatory observation. The study was conducted in Kepung Village, Kediri, East Java. The process of collecting data was done by researchers by staying with the target for 6 months. Results: The pattern of intake in infants aged 0-6 months in Kepung Village was not only given breast milk but was given food in the form of formula milk, sugar water and ‘kepok’ banana. When the mother or caregiver feels that the baby was still hungry, it will be given food intake other than the milk. The practice of feeding was inseparable from the influence of hereditary belief, where sugar water was believed to make the baby not fussy because the baby becomes full and healthy. Conclusion: The pattern of intake in infants in Kepung Village was very varied. Not only breast milk, babies have also been given mashed up adult food. People in Kepung Village also have a habit of giving their babies sugar water. ABSTRAKLatar Belakang: Bayi adalah masa yang rentan terhadap masalah kesehatan dan gizi. WHO menyatakan bahwa 60% kematian anak balita disebabkan oleh keadaan kurang gizi. Dari jumlah tersebut, dua per tiga diantaranya disebabkan oleh pemberian makan yang kurang tepat.Tujuan: Penelitian ditujukan untuk menggambarkan pola asupan pada bayi di Desa Kepung, Kabupaten Kediri.Metode: Studi didesain secara kualitatif dengan pendekatan etnografi. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode wawancara mendalam dan observasi partisipatif. Studi dilakukan di Desa Kepung, Kecamatan Kepung, Kabupaten Kediri, Jawa Timur. Proses pengumpulan data dilakukan oleh peneliti dengan tinggal bersama target. Peneliti lived in di lokasi penelitian selama 6 bulan.Hasil: Pola asupan pada bayi usia 0-6 bulan di Desa Kepung tidak hanya diberikan ASI saja, tapi diberikan makanan berupa susu formula, air gula dan pisang kepok. Praktik pemberian makanan tersebut tidak terlepas dari pengaruh kepercayaan yang turun-temurun, yang mana air gula diyakini dapat membuat bayi tidak rewel karena bayi menjadi kenyang dan menyehatkan.Kesimpulan: Pola asupan pada bayi di Desa Kepung sangat bervariasi. Tidak hanya ASI, bayi juga sudah diberi makanan orang dewasa yang dilembutkan. Masyarakat di Desa Kepung juga memiliki kebiasaan memberikan bayinya air gula.

Analysis of Sociodemographic and Information Factors on Family Behaviour in Early Detection of High-Risk Pregnancy

Introduction: Pregnancy and childbirth are physiological processes experienced by women, but they sometimes have risky conditions. There are still many pregnant women and their families who are unable to detect a high-risk of pregnancy early. This study aims to determine family behaviour in conducting early detection of a high-risk of pregnancy in terms of sociodemographic and information factors.Methods: This study uses an explanatory survey design with a cross sectional design. The sample size of this study was 146, with simple random sampling. The independent variables were sociodemographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity, education, income and religion) and information factors (experience, and media exposure) while the dependent variable is family behaviour. The instrument with the questionnaire used the Likert scale. The data was analysed using partial least square.Results: The results showed that Structural Equation Modelling-Partial least square (SEM-PLS) statistical analysis, through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), obtained sociodemographic factors on family behaviour of 1,999, and information factors on family behaviour of 13,78. The value of the influence of sociodemographic factors (0.102) and the value of the influence of information factors (0.754). R2 (0.63) and Q2 value of 0.65.Conclusion: Sociodemographic  factors and information factors significantly influenced family behaviour factors in early detection of high-risk of pregnancy. Information factors have a greater effect on family behaviour than sociodemographic factors. Midwives as health service providers at the health care centre need to optimize family empowerment through health information efforts in health promotion efforts. Further research requires the involvement of other factors to improve family behaviour, especially in the ability of families to detect early high-risk pregnancies.