Cultural Care during Pregnancy, Childbirth and Puerperium in Women from the Colombian Region of Boyacá

Abstract

Introduction: Women in the Colombian region of Boyacá have an important peasant and indigenous heritage related to beliefs and practices of cultural care in maternity.

Objective: To interpret the cultural care in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum of women in the Colombian region of Boyacá.

Methods: A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted, with the participation of 20 women who lived their pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum in the Colombian region of Boyacá. Snowball sampling was applied. The information was collected through observation, field diary and interviews. The information was analyzed by means of open, interpretative and axial coding using the Atlas TI 8.0 software.

Results: The women had a mean age of 33.9 years (SD: 5.7), 14 (70 %) are employees, and 11 (55 %) have only one child. Eighty-eight codes and 12 subcategories were identified, together with 3 categories: cultural care in pregnancy (medicinal plants, massage and aromatherapy), in childbirth (hot showers, exercise and positions) and puerperium (medicinal plants for healing, avoiding cold temperature, keeping diet time and usage of the rhythm method).

Conclusions: Maternal health care and nursing care need to be rethought in view of responding to the cultural needs of women to preserve beneficial traditional practices and mediate against risky ones.