Midwifery and Women’s Health

Biography

Biography: Florminda B Tejano

Abstract

The study of Mamanwa women in this research was limited to 35 pregnant women aging 12-35 who are residents of three municipalities of Agusan del Norte namely: Santiago, Jabonga, and Kitcharao, Philippines, predominantly occupied by Mamanwa Tribe. Their culture and unique traditions, beliefs, and their ways of life have been transferred and practiced from generation to generation. By their culture, Mamanwa women during pregnancy would suppress their desire for food affecting the health and growth of their babies which naturally need nutritious food especially while inside the womb of their mothers. But on non-pregnancy period, they are basically dependent on root crops such as cassava which tastes like wood, “Onaw,” a flour derived from decoction of somewhat palm like tree, banana, camote or sweet potato, “abatud” or larvae of beetle. Fresh water fish from rivers and lakes are their regular viand. The manner of cooking is by sun drying, smoke or roasting. It is festive day if they catch wild pigs from the mountains which only non-pregnant women can share as primary and privileged sector being substitute to their deprivation during pregnancy on account of their elders prohibition to take nutritious food items which can increase weight of their unborn babies. This practice has endangered the development of the unborn babies because their health and growth are dependent on the food intake of their mother. The results of the survey and informal interviews from Mamanwa pregnant women revealed that their lack of awareness about nutritional food element has the trending effect of their indiscriminately taking high carbohydrate content diet but with insufficient protein. Pregnancy malnutrition of Indigenous People (IP) among Mamanwa Tribe is very high at (100%). Mamanwa pregnant women suffer this deficiency due to lack of education which by consequence prejudices the health of their babies in their womb