A population-based survey of women's traditional postpartum behaviours in Northern China

Abstract

Objective: to describe patterns of women's postpartum behaviour in the period of 'doing the month' in a Northern rural area in China; and to determine the degree of difference between postpartum behaviour and daily behaviour.

Design: a retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted in May 2004, using a questionnaire previously developed in pilot studies.

Setting: Laishui County, Hebei Province, China.

Participants: a random sample of 1813 rural women.

Findings: women's traditional postpartum behaviours assessed by our postpartum behaviour questionnaire showed that most women adhered to traditional customs, drastically changing their practices in eating, sanitation, dress, activity, and household chores during the period of 'doing the month.' The analysis of variance analysis indicated that a woman's age had no effect on the change of behavioural patterns, and that a women's education had no significant effect.

Conclusions: traditional postpartum behaviours are still very popular in rural areas of Northern China. Fearful of suffering illness in later years, many women closely adhere to traditional postpartum practices.