Use of Safety Pin on Garments in Pregnancy: A Belief and Cultural Practice with Potential Harmful Effect

Kola M Owonikoko; Aramide M Tijani; Olarewaju G Bajowa; Oluseyi O Atanda; Kola M Owonikoko; Aramide M Tijani; Olarewaju G Bajowa; Oluseyi O Atanda

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2017.1.19

AIMS Public Health

2017, Volume 4, Issue 1: 19-32. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2017.1.19

Previous Article Next Article

Research article

Use of Safety Pin on Garments in Pregnancy: A Belief and Cultural Practice with Potential Harmful Effect

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State Nigeria

Received: 15 July 2016 Accepted: 04 January 2017 Published: 16 January 2017

Background: Culture has been known to influence practices and beliefs of people world over. Several cultural practices have been noted among pregnant women who were passed from one generation to the next with its potential harmful and beneficial effect. The use of safety pin in is one of such cultural practices that are widely practiced by many pregnant Nigerian women. Objective: We sought to gain a deeper understanding of the source of knowledge and motivation behind the use of safety pin on garments during pregnancy as well as explore potential harmful side effects of this cultural practice. Methodology: A total of 419 pregnant women completed questionnaires for a hospital-based cross-sectional study. Safety pin knowledge and motivation for use on garments were assessed using a pre-tested 16 item questionnaire. Consenting women either completed a self-administered structured questionnaire or utilized the help of trained research assistants. Chi-square tests were used to assess relationships between safety pin use on garments and predictor variables. Analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17. Results: Of 419 participants, over half (n = 227) reported safety pin use on garments in pregnancy. About two-thirds (n = 177) of women who use safety pin reported older female relatives as their source of information. The mean age of the participants
was 29.1 ± 5.74 (range 16–45 years). Traditional religion worshippers were more likely (81.2%) and Christians were least likely to use safety pin (50.7%) during pregnancy. Pregnant women with a tertiary education (50.4%) were least likely to use safety pin compared with women with no or less than a tertiary level of education. Protection of pregnancy against demons/witchcrafts was the reason given by 129 (56.8%) of participants using safety pin in pregnancy. Conclusion: The use of safety pin on garments during pregnancy is a common cultural practice in southwest Nigeria. Our findings also suggest that religion and education are important determinants of safety pin use. Although our study did not find a statistically significant difference in safety pin prick incidents among safety pin users, it remains a potential source of harm. Thus, there is a need to establish community and hospital based strategies that address potential cultural harmful practices while promoting culturally appropriate healthcare services.
- pregnant women,
- safety pin,
- cultural practice,
- Nigeria
Citation: Kola M Owonikoko, Aramide M Tijani, Olarewaju G Bajowa, Oluseyi O Atanda. Use of Safety Pin on Garments in Pregnancy: A Belief and Cultural Practice with Potential Harmful Effect[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2017, 4(1): 19-32. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2017.1.19

Related Papers:

Abstract

Background: Culture has been known to influence practices and beliefs of people world over. Several cultural practices have been noted among pregnant women who were passed from one generation to the next with its potential harmful and beneficial effect. The use of safety pin in is one of such cultural practices that are widely practiced by many pregnant Nigerian women. Objective: We sought to gain a deeper understanding of the source of knowledge and motivation behind the use of safety pin on garments during pregnancy as well as explore potential harmful side effects of this cultural practice. Methodology: A total of 419 pregnant women completed questionnaires for a hospital-based cross-sectional study. Safety pin knowledge and motivation for use on garments were assessed using a pre-tested 16 item questionnaire. Consenting women either completed a self-administered structured questionnaire or utilized the help of trained research assistants. Chi-square tests were used to assess relationships between safety pin use on garments and predictor variables. Analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17. Results: Of 419 participants, over half (n = 227) reported safety pin use on garments in pregnancy. About two-thirds (n = 177) of women who use safety pin reported older female relatives as their source of information. The mean age of the participants
was 29.1 ± 5.74 (range 16–45 years). Traditional religion worshippers were more likely (81.2%) and Christians were least likely to use safety pin (50.7%) during pregnancy. Pregnant women with a tertiary education (50.4%) were least likely to use safety pin compared with women with no or less than a tertiary level of education. Protection of pregnancy against demons/witchcrafts was the reason given by 129 (56.8%) of participants using safety pin in pregnancy. Conclusion: The use of safety pin on garments during pregnancy is a common cultural practice in southwest Nigeria. Our findings also suggest that religion and education are important determinants of safety pin use. Although our study did not find a statistically significant difference in safety pin prick incidents among safety pin users, it remains a potential source of harm. Thus, there is a need to establish community and hospital based strategies that address potential cultural harmful practices while promoting culturally appropriate healthcare services.

References

[1]	Song FW, West JE, Lundy L, et al. (2012) Women, Pregnancy, and Health Information Online The Making of Informed Patients and Ideal Mothers. Gend Soc 26: 773-798. doi: 10.1177/0891243212446336
[2]	Linden K, Berg M, Sparud-Lundin C (2012) Web-based information for pregnant women and new mothers with type 1 diabetes- a description of the development process. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 12: 134. doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-12-134
[3]	Sayakhot P, Carolan-Olah M (2016) Internet use by pregnant women seeking pregnancy-related information: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 16: 65. doi: 10.1186/s12884-016-0856-5
[4]	Gao L-l, Larsson M, Luo S-y (2013) Internet use by Chinese women seeking pregnancy-related information. Midwifery 29: 730-735. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2012.07.003
[5]	Lagan BM, Sinclair M, George Kernohan W (2010) Internet use in pregnancy informs women’s decision making: a web‐based survey. Birth 37: 106-115. doi: 10.1111/j.1523-536X.2010.00390.x
[6]	Bert F, Gualano MR, Brusaferro S, et al. (2013) Pregnancy e-health: a multicenter Italian cross-sectional study on Internet use and decision-making among pregnant women. J Epidemiol Community Health 67: 1013-1018. doi: 10.1136/jech-2013-202584
[7]	Larsson M (2009) A descriptive study of the use of the Internet by women seeking pregnancy-related information. Midwifery 25: 14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2007.01.010
[8]	Wadesango N, Rembe S, Chabaya O (2011) Violation of women’s rights by harmful traditional practices. Anthropologist 13: 121-129.
[9]	Naim M, Bhutto E (2000) Sexuality during pregnancy in Pakistani women. J Pak Med Assoc 50: 38-43.
[10]	Maimbolwa MC, Yamba B, Diwan V, et al. (2003) Cultural childbirth practices and beliefs in Zambia. J Adv Nurs 43: 263-274. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02709.x
[11]	Gibeau AM (1998) Female genital mutilation: when a cultural practice generates clinical and ethical dilemmas. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 27: 85-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.1998.tb02595.x
[12]	Shrivastava A, Murrin C, Sweeney MR, et al. (2013) Familial intergenerational and maternal aggregation patterns in nutrient intakes in the Lifeways Cross-Generation Cohort Study. Public Health Nutr 16: 1476-1486. doi: 10.1017/S1368980012003667
[13]	Limaye RJ, Rimal RN, Mkandawire G, et al. (2015) Tapping Into Traditional Norms for Preventing HIV and Unintended Pregnancy Harnessing the Influence of Grandmothers (Agogos) in Malawi. Int Q Community Health Educ 36.
[14]	Okonofua F (2013) Prevention of child marriage and teenage pregnancy in Africa: need for more research and innovation. Afr J Reprod Health 17: 9-13.
[15]	Igberase G (2012) Harmful cultural practices and reproductive health in Nigeria. Cont J Trop Med 6: 27.
[16]	Tahzib F (1983) Epidemiological determinants of vesicovaginal fistulas. BJOG 90: 387-391. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1983.tb08933.x
[17]	Ityavyar DA (1984) A traditional midwife practice, Sokoto State, Nigeria. Soc Sci Med 18: 497-501. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(84)90007-8
[18]	Alabi EM (1990) Cultural practices in Nigeria. Newsl Inter Afr Comm Tradit Pract Affect Health Women Child 6-7.
[19]	Ezeama M, Ezeamah I (2014) Attitude and socio-cultural practice during pregnancy among women in Akinyele LGA of Oyo State Nigeria. J Res Nurs Midwifery 3: 14-20.
[20]	Lefeber Y, Voorhoever H (1997) Practices and beliefs of traditional birth attendants: lessons for obstetrics in the north? Trop Med Int Health 2: 1175-1179. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-219.x
[21]	Barragan DI, Ormond KE, Strecker MN, et al. (2011) Concurrent use of cultural health practices and Western medicine during pregnancy: exploring the Mexican experience in the United States. J Genet Couns 20: 609-624. doi: 10.1007/s10897-011-9387-4
[22]	Torres E, Sawyer TL (2005) Curandero: A life in Mexican folk healing. UNM Press.
[23]	Purim KSM, Rosario BA, Rosario CS, et al. (2014) Piercings in medical students and their effects on the skin. An Bras Dermatol 89: 905-910. doi: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20142878
[24]	Sarihan H, Kaklikkaya I, Ozcan F (1998) Pediatric safety pin ingestion. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) 39: 515-518.
[25]	Kalayci A, Tander B, Kocak S, et al. (2007) Removal of open safety pins in infants by flexible endoscopy is effective and safe. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A 17: 242-245. doi: 10.1089/lap.2006.0060
[26]	Aydogdu S, Arikan C, Cakir M, et al. (2009) Foreign body ingestion in Turkish children. Turk J Pediatr 51: 127-132.
[27]	Opatola MO, Jegede CT (2016) Empowering Entrepreneurial Women in Traditional Herb Business in Southwestern Nigeria. In: ICIE2016-Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship: ICIE2016: Academic Conferences and publishing limited, 207.
[28]	Owojaiye SO, Kajang YG (2015) Female human’s physio-psycho-social health variables as factors of birth of defects children in sub-urban Nigeria.
[29]	Kamwaria A, Katola M (2012) The Role of African Traditional Religion, Culture and World-View in the Context of Post-War Healing among the Dinka Community of Southern Sudan. Int J Humanit Soc Sci 2: 48-55.
[30]	Omobola OC. Influence of Yoruba Culture in Christian Religious Worship.
[31]	Mathibela MK, Egan BA, Du Plessis HJ, et al. (2015) Socio-cultural profile of Bapedi traditional healers as indigenous knowledge custodians and conservation partners in the Blouberg area, Limpopo Province, South Africa. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 11: 49. doi: 10.1186/s13002-015-0025-3
[32]	Hill JP (2011) Faith and Understanding: Specifying the Impact of Higher Education on Religious Belief. J Sci Study Religion 50: 533-551. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01587.x
[33]	Feinstein L, Sabates R, Anderson TM, et al. (2006) What are the effects of education on health? In: Measuring the effects of education on health and civic engagement: Proceedings of the Copenhagen symposium.
[34]	Osagiobare OE, Oronsaye RO, Ekwukoma V (2015) Influence of Religious and Cultural Beliefs on Girl-Child Educational Aspiration in Nigeria. J Educ Soc Res 5: 165.
[35]	Bishop R, Glynn T (2003) Culture counts: Changing power relations in education: Zed Books.
[36]	Singleton K, Krause E (2009) Understanding cultural and linguistic barriers to health literacy. The Ky Nurs 58: 4, 6-9.
[37]	Ocbian MM (2012) Culture-Based Beliefs and Practices on Pregnancy and Childbirth among Sorsoguenos, Philippines. IAMURE Int J Health Educ 1: 1.
[38]	Jimenez J (2002) The history of grandmothers in the African‐American Community. Soc Serv Rev 76: 523-551. doi: 10.1086/342994
[39]	Leininger MM (1988) Leininger's theory of nursing: Cultural care diversity and universality. Nurs Sci Q 1: 152-160. doi: 10.1177/089431848800100408

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2017 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)