Harmful cultural practices during perinatal period and associated factors among women of childbearing age in Southern Ethiopia: Community based cross-sectional study

摘要

Introduction Although the maternal mortality ratio has decreased by 38% in the last decade, 810 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth every day, and two-thirds of maternal deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. The lives of women and newborns before, during, and after childbirth can be saved by skilled care. The main factors that prevent women from receiving care during pregnancy and childbirth are harmful cultural practices. The aim of this study was to assess the level of harmful cultural practices during pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal period, and associated factors among women of childbearing age in Southern Ethiopia.