Tradisional Beliefs in Postpartum Care among Indonesian and Filipino Mothers : A Comparative Study

ntroduction: This study was conducted to assess the traditional beliefs and practices in
postpartum care among Indonesian and Filipino mothers to propose a program to improve
maternal and child health.
Methods: The study utilized a descriptive research design to Indonesian mother respondents
(n=110) and Filipino mother-respondents (n=119) who were conveniently selected. Traditional
beliefs focused on technological factors, religious and philosophical factors, kinship and social
factors, cultural values, beliefs, lifestyles, political and legal factors, economic factors, and
educational factors were evaluated.
Results: On assessing the traditional beliefs in postpartum care, Indonesian mother respondents
obtained an overall mean of 2.83 verbally interpreted as agree/true while Filipino motherrespondents yielded an overall mean of 2.99 verbally interpreted as agree/true. Statistical
analysis showed a significant difference in the assessment of Indonesian and Filipino mother
respondents on their traditional beliefs in postpartum care in terms of technological factors,
kinship, and social factors, cultural values, and educational factors.
Conclusions: These findings indicate that traditional practices towards maternal care in the
postpartum period are commonplace that have been practiced for generations in countries in
Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia and the Philippines, although there are different traditional
beliefs in postpartum care in aspects of technological factors, kinship and social factors, cultural
values, beliefs, and like ways factors, and educational factors.
© 2021 The Authors. Published by Iberoamerican Journal of Medicine. This is an open access article und