Sociocultural practices and beliefs during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum among indigenous pastoralist women of reproductive age in Manyara, Tanzania: a descriptive qualitative study

Sociocultural practices are predominant and widely applied throughout the peripartum period. These beliefs encourage adopting specific behaviors, most harmful to both mother and fetus. These sociocultural practices tend to affect the utilization of some essential maternal and child health practices. Eliminating unsafe peripartum practices will increase the use of medical services and ultimately improve outcomes for both mothers and their newborns. Public health interventions must recognize the cultural context informing these cultural practices in marginalized indigenous communities. Healthcare providers should routinely take the history of commonly traditional practices during the peripartum period to guide them in providing quality care to women by correcting all harmful practices.