Pregnancy-related Myths and Maternal Mortality Reduction

Maternal Mortality in Indonesia is a serious phenomenon for the government. There are a number of policies and programs to reduce Maternal Mortality Rate. However, the treatment currently focuses on medical and clinical problems of mothers during the pregnancy, yet ignores the physical, biological, social, and cultural context at the micro, messo and macro levels. Attempts to reduce Maternal Mortality Rate is inseparable from cultural role, particularly the myths in the society. This article reveals that pregnancy-related myths may influence maternal mortality rate. These myths are related to consumption style and risk behavior that endanger maternal health during the pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. To minimize the negative effect of myth for pregnant women there must be behavior changes involving the support of client system, particularly husband, parents, parents in law, other relatives, and traditional midwives. This descriptive research employs qualitative method. data was collected by in-depth interview with key informants who were pregnant women aged between 15 to 40 years and auxiliary informants such as husband, biological mother, parents in law, other relatives, health officers, public cadres, and traditional midwives.