Cultural Beliefs and Practices in Postpartum Women in Iran: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Cultural differences can be seen in the birth and postpartum period, where some traditional practices are used to protect the postpartum women and their newborns. The aim of this study was to investigate the cultural beliefs and practices of postpartum women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a qualitative study. Data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 20 mothers in Qom hospitals, Iran from 2019 to 2020. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and finally analysed through conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Five themes of postpartum women’s cultural beliefs and practices emerged from the data analysis including beliefs and practices related to public communications, women’s postnatal care beliefs and practices, nutritional beliefs and practices, beliefs and practices pertaining to breastfeeding and infant care, as well as religious and traditional beliefs and practices. The most common cultural beliefs among women were beliefs related to public communications. CONCLUSION: Cultural and traditional postpartum beliefs and practices are common among postpartum women in Iran. To change postpartum behaviours, it is necessary to identify beliefs and practices first and then plan to correct wrong beliefs to achieve women’s health in postpartum period.