Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth; Mhloyi Marvellous; Dodzo Memory

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12

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Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth, Mhloyi Marvellous, Dodzo Memory

Published in American Journal of Health Research (Volume 6, Issue 6)

Received: 10 November 2018 Accepted: 29 November 2018 Published: 21 December 2018

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Abstract

Maternal death due to haemorrhage is common in developing countries. The clinical and physiological aspects of maternal bleeding are well researched and better known whereas the social, cultural and religious beliefs are not well understood. These cause delays that increase the risk of maternal death. This study sought to close that gap by using qualitative data from twelve (12) focus group discussions with women aged 19 to 49 years and six (6) key informant interviews with traditional and spiritual community birth attendants. These discussions were conducted in five (5) rural districts of Zimbabwe. A grounded-theory approach was used to analyze the data and verbatim quotes are presented with the results. The study found that, among women of child-bearing age, harmful maternal bleeding through the vagina and menstruation are regarded as synonymous. In some cases, harmful maternal bleeding is regarded as a normal and expected feminine experience, a shameful subject for discussion, the body’s self-cleansing process or a necessary occurrence during maternity. In other cases, women fear to raise false alarms. These social constructions of maternal haemorrhage tend to prolong the time between the incidence of bleeding and the instance of receiving appropriate care or death. The researchers conclude that maternal death due to haemorrhage headlines a bigger story involving delays in recognizing danger and deciding to seek care. Interventions must involve women, partners and/or husbands, households and communities to address harmful social norms, beliefs and attitudes towards vaginal bleeding.

Published in	American Journal of Health Research (Volume 6, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12
Page(s)	130-137
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Zimbabwe, Socio-cultural, Religion, Attitudes, Beliefs, Haemorrhage, Maternal Risk

References

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APA Style

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth, Mhloyi Marvellous, Dodzo Memory. (2018). Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe. American Journal of Health Research, 6(6), 130-137. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12

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ACS Style

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth; Mhloyi Marvellous; Dodzo Memory. Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe. Am. J. Health Res. 2018, 6(6), 130-137. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12

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AMA Style

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth, Mhloyi Marvellous, Dodzo Memory. Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe. Am J Health Res. 2018;6(6):130-137. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12,
  author = {Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth and Mhloyi Marvellous and Dodzo Memory},
  title = {Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe},
  journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
  volume = {6},
  number = {6},
  pages = {130-137},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20180606.12},
  abstract = {Maternal death due to haemorrhage is common in developing countries. The clinical and physiological aspects of maternal bleeding are well researched and better known whereas the social, cultural and religious beliefs are not well understood. These cause delays that increase the risk of maternal death. This study sought to close that gap by using qualitative data from twelve (12) focus group discussions with women aged 19 to 49 years and six (6) key informant interviews with traditional and spiritual community birth attendants. These discussions were conducted in five (5) rural districts of Zimbabwe. A grounded-theory approach was used to analyze the data and verbatim quotes are presented with the results. The study found that, among women of child-bearing age, harmful maternal bleeding through the vagina and menstruation are regarded as synonymous. In some cases, harmful maternal bleeding is regarded as a normal and expected feminine experience, a shameful subject for discussion, the body’s self-cleansing process or a necessary occurrence during maternity. In other cases, women fear to raise false alarms. These social constructions of maternal haemorrhage tend to prolong the time between the incidence of bleeding and the instance of receiving appropriate care or death. The researchers conclude that maternal death due to haemorrhage headlines a bigger story involving delays in recognizing danger and deciding to seek care. Interventions must involve women, partners and/or husbands, households and communities to address harmful social norms, beliefs and attitudes towards vaginal bleeding.},
 year = {2018}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe
AU - Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth
AU - Mhloyi Marvellous
AU - Dodzo Memory
Y1 - 2018/12/21
PY - 2018
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12
DO - 10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12
T2 - American Journal of Health Research
JF - American Journal of Health Research
JO - American Journal of Health Research
SP - 130
EP - 137
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2330-8796
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12
AB - Maternal death due to haemorrhage is common in developing countries. The clinical and physiological aspects of maternal bleeding are well researched and better known whereas the social, cultural and religious beliefs are not well understood. These cause delays that increase the risk of maternal death. This study sought to close that gap by using qualitative data from twelve (12) focus group discussions with women aged 19 to 49 years and six (6) key informant interviews with traditional and spiritual community birth attendants. These discussions were conducted in five (5) rural districts of Zimbabwe. A grounded-theory approach was used to analyze the data and verbatim quotes are presented with the results. The study found that, among women of child-bearing age, harmful maternal bleeding through the vagina and menstruation are regarded as synonymous. In some cases, harmful maternal bleeding is regarded as a normal and expected feminine experience, a shameful subject for discussion, the body’s self-cleansing process or a necessary occurrence during maternity. In other cases, women fear to raise false alarms. These social constructions of maternal haemorrhage tend to prolong the time between the incidence of bleeding and the instance of receiving appropriate care or death. The researchers conclude that maternal death due to haemorrhage headlines a bigger story involving delays in recognizing danger and deciding to seek care. Interventions must involve women, partners and/or husbands, households and communities to address harmful social norms, beliefs and attitudes towards vaginal bleeding.
VL - 6
IS - 6
ER -

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Author Information

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth

Centre for Population Studies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Mhloyi Marvellous

Centre for Population Studies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Dodzo Memory

Institute of Development Studies, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

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APA Style

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth, Mhloyi Marvellous, Dodzo Memory. (2018). Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe. American Journal of Health Research, 6(6), 130-137. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12

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ACS Style

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth; Mhloyi Marvellous; Dodzo Memory. Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe. Am. J. Health Res. 2018, 6(6), 130-137. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12

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AMA Style

Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth, Mhloyi Marvellous, Dodzo Memory. Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe. Am J Health Res. 2018;6(6):130-137. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12,
  author = {Dodzo Munyaradzi Kenneth and Mhloyi Marvellous and Dodzo Memory},
  title = {Blood Drain: A Threat to Maternal Health in Zimbabwe},
  journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
  volume = {6},
  number = {6},
  pages = {130-137},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20180606.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20180606.12},
  abstract = {Maternal death due to haemorrhage is common in developing countries. The clinical and physiological aspects of maternal bleeding are well researched and better known whereas the social, cultural and religious beliefs are not well understood. These cause delays that increase the risk of maternal death. This study sought to close that gap by using qualitative data from twelve (12) focus group discussions with women aged 19 to 49 years and six (6) key informant interviews with traditional and spiritual community birth attendants. These discussions were conducted in five (5) rural districts of Zimbabwe. A grounded-theory approach was used to analyze the data and verbatim quotes are presented with the results. The study found that, among women of child-bearing age, harmful maternal bleeding through the vagina and menstruation are regarded as synonymous. In some cases, harmful maternal bleeding is regarded as a normal and expected feminine experience, a shameful subject for discussion, the body’s self-cleansing process or a necessary occurrence during maternity. In other cases, women fear to raise false alarms. These social constructions of maternal haemorrhage tend to prolong the time between the incidence of bleeding and the instance of receiving appropriate care or death. The researchers conclude that maternal death due to haemorrhage headlines a bigger story involving delays in recognizing danger and deciding to seek care. Interventions must involve women, partners and/or husbands, households and communities to address harmful social norms, beliefs and attitudes towards vaginal bleeding.},
 year = {2018}
}

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