Persepsi kultural dan bahaya langsung dari tradisi perawatan pasca melahirkan "Mararang": studi di Toba Samosir Indonesia

Berita Kedokteran Masyarakat
Vol 34, No 9 (2018)

Cultural perception of mararang tradition and its impact on mother and infant health in Toba Samosir districtPurpose: Toba Samosir residents consider the mararang tradition as a postpartum care that can accelerate time recovery of postpartum condition, strengthen the back spine, make the body warm and sweating, and facilitate the blood flow after postpartum. However, the airing in mararang tradition is dangerous for the respiratory of both postpartum mother and baby. This study explores the perceptions of postpartum mothers about the tradition of mararang and potential hazards to maternal and infant health in Toba Samosir regency. Methods: This qualitative study adopted ethnography approach. Number of sample size is determined by using purposive sampling. The selection of informants was based on inclusion criteria in accordance with the research topic. In total, there are eleven informants which consisted of four postpartum mothers, three husbands/families of postpartum mothers, three midwives and one head of maternal and child health services at the Toba Samosir district health office and focus group discussion for six midwives from public health center. The data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations.Results: Three important points from this study are, (1) postpartum mothers are convinced in practicing mararang due to the strong influence from the elderly who still believe in traditions, since it has been passed down from ancestors,(2) despite the uncomfortable condition and its impact on breathing, people still argue to keep the mararang tradition as they believe that children who are treated mararang will be stronger in the future, (3) the response from health care officer in assessing the dangers of this tradition is still lack, for instance they never carry out specific counseling to avoid the hazards, in facts some of them are still practicing mararang tradition.Conclusions: It was difficult to leave mararang tradition since they believe in its benefit on health. Mararang tradition was not consider as something that can endanger the health of the postpartum mother and baby. Both the wife and husband in this area still strongly support the mararang tradition. Health workers have not provided information and knowledge about the risks and impacts of the mararang tradition on maternal and infant health.