Folk Practice During Childbirth and Reasons for the Practice in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review

Background: Ethiopia is a country of long-standing history with its own identity. It is also a country with many useful traditional practices. On the other hand, it is a country where harmful traditional practices commonly practiced during pregnancy, labor delivery, post-natal.Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to identify common folk practices during childbirth and reasons for committing this practice in Ethiopia, 2017.Methodology: Systematic review was conducted using a priori protocol prepared specifically for this review. Articles were retrieved through a comprehensive search strategy. Data were extracted using critical appraisal check list.Results: A total of 173 articles were identified, of which 10 were included in the review after full evaluation. The findings were presented under sub headings as folk practice: During pregnancy: priority for first pregnancy, not talking about it at early age, not buying items for baby until delivery, food taboos like: food items that are white in color, vegetables, fruits, meat in some circumstances and sugarcane. During Labor and Delivery: Hanging experienced women near the laboring mother, not allowing men to be involved in the delivery process, sex preference, birth by shock and dancing, applying butter on abdomen, Bush Birthing, opening belts, opening all closed items in the house hold. During postnatal period: funeraling of placenta, “Gubbifachuu”, “Arguugaa eelmachuu” milking the cows for three consecutive days, giving water and/or milk right after delivery, washing newborn, staying with clothes dressed during delivery, not initiating breastfeeding up until the cord cut off, placing the butter on the cord, not tying cord, “Ulumaa taa’uu”, not to touch the new born baby, Mingi, Lanka Mansat.Conclusion: There is strong evidence that Ethiopian women are practicing various cultural practices during child birth process. Therefore, we recommend context specific intervention to avert maternal and newborn complications/deaths related to this folk practices.