Pregnancy & Childbirth
Until pregnancy is visibly noticeable, it is usually not discussed in Ethiopia. To celebrate an upcoming birth, the pregnant mother along with her family and friends may have a "tasting day", where the mother is entertained and cooked for by her company. The women engage in special dances and sample foods that the mother will eat after the birth of the baby. This is similar to a baby shower but without the giving of gifts, because it is considered bad luck to buy things for an unborn baby. The U.S. tradition is slowly being adopted though (Duncan, A., & Hayden, M., 2008).
After women in rural Ethiopia go into labor they have home deliveries. They are supported by female family members and neighbors and the traditional birth attendant or a local lay midwife. The midwife's duties during labor include managing pain and treating complications. The midwife also may massage the laboring woman's abdomen with butter. Those who are present as family or neighbors are specifically selected by the pregnant woman, herself. They are her circle of support and serve her by following her directives on how to hold her to make delivery easier and to give her food as desired. The support circle also talks with the laboring woman and encourages her along with that, they keep the woman's husband and other male family members up to speed with the progression of the labor and birth as they wait outside (Granot, M., Spitzer, A., Aroian, K. J., Ravid, C., Tamir, B. & Noam, R., 1996)
Modesty is a highly valued factor during pregnancy and delivery in Ethiopia. During all stages of labor, the private parts of the pregnant woman's body remain covered and may only be exposed during extreme circumstances, to which only the midwife may exposed to (Granot, M. et. al, 1996).
After the birth, the mother rests for 40 days in her home, typically separated from her husband and remains sexually inactive during this time. Genfo is a hot porridge that is eaten after the childs birth by the mother to help her gain back her strength and heal quickly (Duncan, A., & Hayden, M., 2008).
After women in rural Ethiopia go into labor they have home deliveries. They are supported by female family members and neighbors and the traditional birth attendant or a local lay midwife. The midwife's duties during labor include managing pain and treating complications. The midwife also may massage the laboring woman's abdomen with butter. Those who are present as family or neighbors are specifically selected by the pregnant woman, herself. They are her circle of support and serve her by following her directives on how to hold her to make delivery easier and to give her food as desired. The support circle also talks with the laboring woman and encourages her along with that, they keep the woman's husband and other male family members up to speed with the progression of the labor and birth as they wait outside (Granot, M., Spitzer, A., Aroian, K. J., Ravid, C., Tamir, B. & Noam, R., 1996)
Modesty is a highly valued factor during pregnancy and delivery in Ethiopia. During all stages of labor, the private parts of the pregnant woman's body remain covered and may only be exposed during extreme circumstances, to which only the midwife may exposed to (Granot, M. et. al, 1996).
After the birth, the mother rests for 40 days in her home, typically separated from her husband and remains sexually inactive during this time. Genfo is a hot porridge that is eaten after the childs birth by the mother to help her gain back her strength and heal quickly (Duncan, A., & Hayden, M., 2008).
Prenatal Care
From 2000-2005, only 12% of Ethiopian women made the recommended four trips for their prenatal care visits and only 7% of births were attended by an actual trained healthcare professional (Guttmacher Institute, 2010).
Abortion
In the capital region of Ethiopia, the abortion rate more than doubles the national average of abortions. This is because there is a strong motivation to have smaller families. However, in rural regions of Ethiopia, only 5-6% of pregnancies end in abortions, where the desired family size is larger, due to the persistance of the traditional cultural norm and the predominatly agrarian economy in Ethiopia and because there is less access to abortion services. Low use of contraception leads to many unwanted pregnancies, some of which end in abortion (Guttmacher Institute, 2010).
Sexual Education
Premarital sex, especially in rural Ethiopian girls, is a widespread cultural taboo. Virginity is highly valued by both young men and women. However, since the introduction of sexual education and advanced age in marriage in the urban parts of Ethiopia, premarital sex is becoming more common. In rural areas of Ethiopia, the valued cultural norm of remaining a virgin until marriage is still believed and practiced by society (Molla, M., Berhane, Y., & Lindtjorn, B. 2009). Abstinence is typically taught to Ethiopian youth by their parents (Duncan, A., & Hayden, M., 2008), but in urban schools sexuality education is being integrated into the school system (Netsanet, F., Tsion, A., Fessahaye, A., Fentie, A., 2012).
Methods of Contraception
Throughout the country, there is a wide range of cultural barriers (i.e. traditional attitudes about gender) and logistical problems account for the majority of women's low modern contraceptive usage (Guttmacher Institute, 2010). About 2% of women use the traditional method of abstinence or withdrawal, while 68% (3.9 million women) do not use any method of contraception. As for modern forms of contraception, 21% of women use the injectable method, while 6% use the pill or a condom. Modern contraceptive use is more common in the capital regions of Ethiopia or other wealthier regions where there is also more access to healthcare (Guttmacher Institute, 2010).