Assessment of Cultural Beliefs and Practices During the Postnatal Period Affecting Postpartum Recovery and Its Management in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Introduction and aim: The postpartum period is associated with several physiological and nutritional changes, during which women commonly follow culturally influenced dietary practices and traditional beliefs. These practices may influence maternal nutrition, physical activity, and postpartum recovery. The present study aimed to assess cultural beliefs, dietary practices, lifestyle-related factors, myths, and traditional postpartum practices among postnatal women attending a tertiary care hospital, and to examine their association with self-reported postpartum weight change. Materials and methods: This prospective observational study was conducted among 100 postnatal women attending the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Karnataka, India, from January 2026 to April 2026. Data were collected using a predesigned semi-structured questionnaire developed after an extensive review of published literature and previously validated studies on postpartum cultural practices. The questionnaire underwent content validation by experts in obstetrics and community medicine and was pretested among 10 postnatal women to ensure clarity and feasibility before administration. It assessed sociodemographic characteristics, dietary practices, cultural beliefs, lifestyle modifications, preferred and restricted foods, and self-reported postpartum weight change. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Results: Restriction in quantity of food intake was practiced by 97 (97.0%) women, while consumption of “hot foods” was reported by 87 (87.0%) participants. Reduced water intake was observed among 57 (57.0%) women. Head covering, confinement at home, and reduced physical activity were practiced by 92 (92.0%), 86 (86.0%), and 81 (81.0%) women, respectively. Restriction of curd and buttermilk was observed among 32 (32.0%) participants, whereas restriction of protein-rich foods was reported by eight (8.0%) women. Weight loss during the postpartum period was reported by 46 (46.0%) participants. Consumption of “hot foods” demonstrated a significant association with self-reported postpartum weight change (χ²=9.097, p=0.011), whereas no significant associations were observed for parity, mode of delivery, religion, restriction in quantity of food intake, or vegetable restriction (p>0.05). Conclusion: Traditional postpartum dietary practices and cultural beliefs were highly prevalent among postnatal women. Several culturally accepted food restrictions and lifestyle practices continued to influence postpartum dietary habits and were associated with self-reported postpartum weight change. However, given the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported outcome measures, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Further multicenter longitudinal studies with objective nutritional assessment are warranted.