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RUNNING HEAD: PREGNANCY IN A CHINESE CULTURE 0

Pregnancy in a Chinese Culture Presentation

Kapiolani Community College

NURS 320 Maternity


RUNNING HEAD: PREGNANCY IN A CHINESE CULTURE 1

Chinese Beliefs on Pregnancy

Throughout the review of research, I found that the Chinese culture has some similarities

like the other Asian cultures such as Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Okinawan and Filipino. In

the Chinese culture, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) places great emphasis on dietary and

behavioral restrictions to restore physical and emotional harmony. In TCM, the body and mind

are inseparable, each affecting the other seamlessly. Therefore, anything that influences a

womans mind or spirit affects the heart and can affect the fetus in the uterus. According to Ying

Lau, emotional problems are the result of an imbalance between yin and yang and disharmony in

the flow of qi. Worry, fear, and anger may lead to qi stagnation, which in turn, will affect the

organs (Lau, 2012). The Chinese believe in the balance between yin and yang in the body

especially during pregnancy. When researching about the Chinese culture, I found information

on the beliefs and practices during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is considered a normal but also an expected stage for married women. In

Chinese culture, women are encouraged to take it easy, rest, avoid heavy work, and eat well to

ensure a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Even though the Chinese are diverse in their

background and country of origin, one traditional belief that has not changed much was the value

of a son over a daughter (Lau, 2012). When I interviewed my mother about this belief, I realized

that it was somewhat true. From personal experience, when it comes to my siblings and I, my

younger brother would have more attention from my grandparents who were more on the

traditional side. The reason behind this is that the men carry the family name down and it is their

tradition to take care of the family after marriage as well. When the girl gets married, she is

married into another family and does not assume this role.
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During pregnancy, women are also advised to avoid various activities and follow certain

food regiments and practices. For example, pregnant women are strongly discouraged from

carrying heavy load or engaging in strenuous work during the first trimester for fear of

miscarriages (Lau, 2012). As for food regiments, women are advised not to eat "cold foods" such

as mung beans, bean sprout, banana or watermelon during the first trimester to reduce a risk of

miscarriage. Both of my parents have explained to me that cold foods are bad for the body and

that hot/warm foods are good for the baby because it promotes circulation especially for

pregnant mothers.

According to my mother, when she was pregnant she also believed that if she avoided

dark foods, her babies would be born fair or light skinned. Another practice that she believed

in was to not tell others youre pregnant in the first 3 months. The tradition was that the baby can

be stingy and get angry with the mother when she shares this news with others, so a mother who

tells everyone the instant she gets pregnant risks angering (and thus losing) the baby.

More practices that traditional Hong Kong women, such as my mother and grandmother,

practiced were not to move the bed while youre pregnant. For one, pregnant women are not

allowed to do physical work, but another reason not to do it is that moving the bed will disturb

the god of the fetus, which leads to losing the baby. Clearing a drain symbolizes removing the

baby from the uterus, therefore pregnant women were not to clear any blocked drains.

Labor and Delivery

During birth, women want to eat to get the energy before going through the labor.

However, in Western culture health care providers discourage eating for fear a full stomach will

induce nausea/vomit especially during active labor phase. Also in the event of an emergent

cesarean section that needs to be done, eating may cause aspiration during surgery. This has been
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a common complaint for Chinese women. Many did not understand why they were not allowed

to eat and thought the hospital policy is unnecessary. It is important to keep an open mind as a

nurse to try understand the cultural preferences while keeping the patient safe at the same time.

During labor, often when asked for water, a Chinese mother will prefer warm water over ice

chips. Most Chinese women fear that the cold water from ice chips will upset their internal

hot/cold balance and subsequently increase their risk of developing arthritis in old age (Do,

2000).

Traditionally, men do not play a major role during deliveries. Expectant fathers usually

remain outside of labor room until the baby is born. Female family members/relatives such as

mother, mother-in-law, aunts or sisters provide much of needed support during this time. This

tradition is slowly evolving as extended family members/relatives are not readily available and

nuclear families are becoming more prevalent (Lau, 2012). Back when my grandmother gave

birth to her children, my grandfather would wait outside the labor room and be directed to go in

after the delivery. He would not go in until the rest of the family could visit. As of today, more

men are in the labor room and actively participating in supporting the mother during labor. Also

the younger and more Americanized Chinese couples want to attend childbirth classes.

Postpartum

Chinese women believe strongly in postpartum practices. Caring for oneself immediately

after childbirth is very crucial in restoring women's health to pre-pregnant condition. There are

many superstitions and traditional practices that Chinese women believe strongly in. A period of

care right after the delivery ranging from one to three months is known as the "sitting month".

Depending on regional differences, there are variances in regiments and practices associated with

sitting month. During the sitting month, women are to abstain from taking a bath, washing their
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hair, exposing themselves to cold water, cold temperature environment and wind, drinking ice

water or eating "cold" food (i.e. uncooked vegetables, salads or fruits). The reasons for these

restrictions are based on the beliefs that women are undergoing a cold stage right after the

delivery due to loss of blood (Lau, 2012). To restore the energy, women need to consume food

that are considered "hot" (i.e. hot water, soups, ginger, wine and food that are high in protein)

and avoid exposing themselves to cold air, cold water or wind.

Western providers and health care members who are unfamiliar with sitting month have a

difficulty time in understanding the Chinese women who just gave birth. In Western culture, cold

drinks such as milk, orange juices, ice water and cold food such as salad, cold sandwiches,

tomato based sauce dishes and desserts such as Jell-O, fruits and ice cream are routinely offered

to women during their inpatient stay. As for Chinese women, these are the types of food that their

mothers, women friends and relatives have advised avoiding as much as possible.

Women who had Cesarean section would want to avoid not only "cold" food but also beef

or seafood. Beef and seafood are believed to prolong the healing process. An example would be a

close friend of mine who just gave birth (C-section). She is an American Chinese who follows

both Western and Chinese culture during her pregnancy and postpartum care. After she gave

birth to her baby boy, she ate poke (raw fish) right as her first meal. On the contrary, her mother

did not approve of this and reprimanded her for drinking cold water and eating ice chips during

her pregnancy. For women who have an episiotomy, nurses will advise women to use ice packs

to reduce swelling and inflammation. For most Chinese women, however, the practice is

considered contradictory to their Chinese health belief. Traditionally, women should avoid using

anything cold for fear that cold compress will increase their risk of incontinence, headache,

backache and/or arthritis in the future.


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Infant Care and Feeding

In some parts of China, the Chinese believed that it was peculiar to have your baby

exclusively drink breast milk. My Aunt is from northern China and she shared some tips on how

she was raised with mostly formula. Other tips include not using a pacifier because it harbors

germs and could get the newborn sick. Now that my cousin has a newborn child, my aunt makes

sure everything is clean around the house wherever the baby is/goes and that all bottles are

sterilized with hot boiling water. She mentioned that it is rare to see a couple soothing their child

with a pacifier and often a couple will either rock the baby or let them cry until they tire

themselves. From what I have noticed in the Chinese culture, family members of a

newborn/children always say to cover up before you catch a cold. This practice is used even till

this day and even for myself, my grandparents insist on wearing a jacket even during the summer

(Hawaii). A health care providers, it is important to realize this practice and educate families that

wrapping the newborn in too many blankets can put the baby at risk for SIDS (sudden infant

death syndrome).

Conclusion

In conclusion, pregnancy in the Chinese culture is unique. Although there may be some

similarities in the practices within other cultures, the Chinese still have their own practices and

beliefs during pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum, and infant care and feeding. The key

point is that the body must be in balance especially during pregnancy to have a healthy baby. It is

important to acknowledge a patients belief and to respect their traditions because it is an

important aspect in maintaining a therapeutic relationship with the patient. By understanding a

patients culture, it shows respect and will help gain good rapport when working together. If
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nurses were aware of cultures other than their own, it would make nurses more well-rounded and

patients would receive quality patient care.


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References

Barber, SL; Yao L. Health Insurance Systems in China: A Briefing Note. World Health Report.

2010 (37).

Do, H. (2000, June 01). Chinese Cultural Profile. Retrieved December 06, 2016, from

https://ethnomed.org/culture/chinese/chinese-cultural-profile

H. D. (n.d.). Chinese Cultural Profile. Retrieved December 04, 2016, Retrieved from

https://ethnomed.org/culture/chinese/chinese-cultural-profile

Lau, Y. (2012, March). Traditional Chinese Pregnancy Restrictions, Health-Related Quality of

Life and Perceived Stress among Pregnant Women in Macao, China. Asian Nursing

Research, 6(1), 27-34. doi:10.1016/j.anr.2012.02.005Schalken, L. (2015).

Saha, R. (2016, August 22). 7 Amazing Health Benefits Of Having Ginger And Ginger Tea

While Breastfeeding. Retrieved December 5, 2016, from

http://www.momjunction.com/articles/ginger-and-ginger-tea-while-

breastfeeding_00365770/

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