Study On Tibetan Women's Postnatal Care Methods And Its Practices

Background: Due to living environment,local customs,and division of labor,Tibetan women's postnatal care situation is poor.During the postnatal period,women's diet and lifestyle is not correctly practiced and it leads to variety of disorders.Based on current literatures,93% of Tibetan women gave birth at homes and only 1% of them had trained health workers who helped devilries.Birth takes place of homes may cause huge problems and it is hard to solves problems quickly.It is hard to check up women's health condition and the women do not know any necessary care knowledge.More importantly,Tibetan women often are shy to tell their health condition to family members and even to their husbands,which cause delaying curable illnesses.Thus,smaller problems turned to be life taken problems in many situations.For those reasons,postnatal period is a curial time for a woman's life time and it is very important to conduct postnatal care methods and its practices research.Objectives: The study purpose was to conduct a research to identify health defect from unfortunate practice of postnatal care.From those risk experiences to find out women's postnatal period mind and body care methods.Particularly,during the pregnancy,delivery,and postnatal period,changes of women's mind and body to find out emphasis of care.Postnatal care methods and its practices according to Tibetan Medicine literature.Such practice methods how to apply into practice based on Tibetan women's current practices.From the research to summarize an appropriate care methods including diet,lifestyle,medicine,external therapies,match with the reality in order to guide Tibetan women in the region.Methods: The research methods are mainly Tibetan Medicine classical textbook review,observation and interview.First,collected all related Tibetan Medicine ancient classical textbooks and reviewed them.Also,reviewed many Tibetan Medicine contemporary literature,Public Health literature,and Biomedicine literature.The useful contents collected and studied to build a theoretical foundation of women's postnatal care.Then,visited Tibetan nomadic and agricultural villages to observe Tibetan women's practice of postnatal care.Meanwhile,interviewed 120 Tibetan women(age 15 to 55).Lastly,conducted a semistructured interviewed with five Tibetan Medical Doctors,who mainly practice at Tibetan Birth Center in Rebkong.Quantitative data was entered into excel and then analyzed the data with Fisher Test and X~2 test in SPSS statistic software.Qualitative data recorded and transcribed,then used the main themes to analyze.Results: The study results are mainly literature results and field study results.For the literature results: 1)Based on Tibetan Medicine literature,the term wang(postnatal)in Tibetan is a ancient terminology of postnatal in Tibetan Medicine;2)Identified diet,lifestyle,medicine,and external therapy for postnatal care in Tibetan Medicine;3)The similarities and differences of postnatal care contents between Tibetan Medicine and Western Medicine;4)Women's eight types of illnesses in Tibetan Medicine was identified to clarify postnatal related ones and its symptoms.The the field research results: 1)In nomadic areas,pregnancy age was young and older aged women gave birth were more compared to agricultural areas;2)In the area,80% of women gave birth as natural birth and most of them(54%)takes places at homes;3)In generally,postnatal care such as staying at home after gave birth were better,average 21.4 days(2.4 SD).However,nomadic women stayed at home after gave births less than agricultural area.4)in both nomadic and agricultural areas,frequently occurred symptoms were upper body illnesses,lower body illnesses and other illnesses.Mainly were lower body pain,ngo kheb,abdominal pain,headache,and low energy;5)Both areas,diet and lifestyle adjustment was poor,most frequently intake was red meat,and during the postnatal both areas showed poor sanitation.However,breastfeeding level was high,94% and 95% respectively;6)Women's background and postnatal diet and lifestyle relationship,based on X~2 test,p-value was <0.05.It can conclude that educational level,occupation,family economic situation better,which showed better adjustment of diet and lifestyle during the postnatal care.7)Women's sanitation and postnatal lifestyle leads to common illnesses.Conclusion: The study conclude that mind and body has many changes during the whole time of reproductive and it is important to practice health care on time based on Tibetan Medicine literature.Postnatal poor care can cause many health issues and postnatal care and women's health has strong relationship.In Tibetan areas,postnatal care still is poor and nomadic area is worse than agricultural areas.In order to prevent common diseases and practice postnatal care,to delver health care information through health education activities are very curial for Tibetan areas.