DYING BECAUSE OF CULTURE: CULTURAL PRACTICES LINKED TO MATERNAL DEATHS

Death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth or after childbirth is a dreadful and devastating experience. Certain cases of maternal deaths stem from society's long held beliefs and practices. The objective of this study was to explore traditional practices that endanger the lives of women during their pregnancy journey. This qualitative study was conducted between January and July, 2018 in Lundazi District, Zambia. The study employed Focus Group Discussion and in-depth interviews to collect rich data from 140 participants - members from Small Motherhood Action Group (SMAG), Traditional Healers and families that lost a mother. This study found that because of tradition, antenatal mothers delayed to enroll for care at health facilities, took traditional medicine to strengthen their pregnancy or to quicken labor. They abstained from foods rich in protein, threw away Folic Acid and Ferrous Sulphate and used unhygienic pads which became an awful source of infection.