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Pregnancy:

Pregnancy:. Pre-partum Practices and Nutritional Beliefs in West India. Himali Bhatt Senior Capstone Presentation November 30, 2009. A picture from one of the clinics. This board is found was found in all the women’s clinics I went to.

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Pregnancy:

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  1. Pregnancy: Pre-partum Practices and Nutritional Beliefs in West India Himali Bhatt Senior Capstone Presentation November 30, 2009

  2. A picture from one of the clinics This board is found was found in all the women’s clinics I went to. Pre-natal sex determination is not done in India to prevent abortion of females.

  3. Outline • Pre-partum dietary changes & explanations • Variation depending on term • Body type influence on dietary modifications • Food preferences & avoidances • Location of 1st delivery • Customs before birth

  4. Study Overview • Women interviewed at 2 women’s clinics in Ahmedabad & Mumbai • n = 21 (patients) • n = 2 (physicians) • n = 2 (AYP) • Purpose: to learn about women’s pre- and post- partum practices and nutritional beliefs.

  5. Pre-Partum Diet

  6. Pre-partum dietary changes • 90.5% reported that they changed their diet • 9.5% reported that they did not Changes • Milk – 28.6% (C) • Fruits– 47.5% (C) • Vegetables – 19% (C) • “Hadwa” – 14.3% • “Garam” – 14.3% (L &S) • Oily – 23.8% (L&S) • Spicy, salty, non-veg – 4.8% (different women)

  7. Dietary Modification Explanations *Note: Some women provided more than 1 explanation.

  8. Influences for pregnant women

  9. Explanations for not modifying diet • Did not find it necessary (1) • Just eats routine (1)

  10. Variation in diet depending on the term of pregnancy 52.4% 47.6%

  11. Explanations behind modifying based on term • 1st trimester • Eat “hadwa” foods because vomiting • Hadwa – mamra, khakra, khichdee • Better to eat fruits, GLV, “shaak” • Avoid “garam” foods • After 1st trimester • Ate more “heavy” foods • i.e. chappatis • Regular diet • Not vomiting anymore • At 8th month back to “hadwa” (1) • At 9th month less “chikaas” & less “garam” food

  12. Body type influence on dietary modification • 42.9% of women said that their body “type” influenced their dietary modification • 77.8% of these women said that they ate “cooler” foods • 55.6% of these women said that they avoided eating “hot” foods • Literature: • Women with “hot” constitution ate cooler foods (but not v.v.) • Avoid eating “hot” foods because they are believed to cause miscarriages.

  13. Food preferences 76.2% 23.8% 76.2% of women had food preferences

  14. Food avoidances 61.9% 38.1% 61.9% of women had food avoidances

  15. No avoidances or preferences • 33.3% of women had no food preferences • 33.3% of women had no food avoidances • Same 7 women

  16. Pre-partum Customs

  17. Location of 1st delivery 76.2% 14.3% 9.5%

  18. Explanations behind returning home • Women • It is a custom to return home for the 1st delivery. • Most women returned home (“pier”)after their Seemant/Shrimant/Khorodo Bhairo/Goad Bhariye • Usually occurred in the 6th or 7th month of pregnancy • Me • Might be a form of comfort because the woman would feel more at home. • Mother would take care of her, and she would get to relax and rest.

  19. Garbh Sanksar • 14.3% talked about “Garbh Sanskar” and creation of a good environment • Sanskar/Samskara – rite of passage • Garbhadhana – done at conception • Prepare the body for pregnancy, stop bad habits, etc. • Want a good environment for the soul (atman) • 1st of 16 Samskaras in the Hinduism

  20. Creating a good environment • Read good books for sanskar • i.e. religious books • Don’t watch violent movies • Book: Garbh Sanskar • Listens to bhajans (devotional songs) & says bhagwan’s (God) name • “sattvik goono aave” • From 7th month on the fetus is aware of the mother’s feelings, etc. • Story of Abhimanu • One women said she doesn’t eat outside food while expecting because “jevu un evu maan” (the thoughts of the chef have an impact on the person eating the food and the baby in the womb).

  21. Seemant • Another of the 16 samskaras • Similar to a baby shower with religious rituals • 85.7% of women said that they had one • Usually occurs in the 7th month of pregnancy and after this ceremony, the expecting mother returns to her mother’s home for the delivery.

  22. Conclusion • All the different customs, nutritional beliefs, and practices that these women observe all have one purpose: • To maintain health and have a healthy child. • Tied into religious customs • Appears to have a protective effect.

  23. Acknowledgements Thanks to the Experiential Learning Fellowship in Anthropology and SOURCE for funding this research and to Dr. Korbin and Dr. Greksa.

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