Tradition turns deadly: How superstitions put mothers and babies at risk

Twenty-one-year-old Habiba (not her real name) lives in a small town. Two years ago, she gave birth to a baby boy. 

Shortly after his birth, Habiba's in-laws, particularly the female members, became fixated on a peculiar belief: Since the baby was a boy, they had to pierce his nipples with a needle. If they didn't, "his chest would grow heavy like a girl's as he got older."

Habiba was terrified and begged her in-laws not to do anything so dangerous, fearing it could seriously harm the newborn. No one listened to her. They scolded her, claiming she knew nothing about raising children.

When the baby was just 21 days old, they heated a needle until it was red-hot and pierced his nipples. Consequently, the baby developed a severe infection and had to be rushed to the hospital. 

Two years down the line, he still suffers from complications in the affected area. Doctors have warned that the issue may compound in the future.

"When the doctors reprimanded me for my child's condition, I couldn't say anything to my in-laws. Even my husband and my parents didn't support me. They all said, 'What's done is done, and it was for the best'," Habiba recalled.

While Habiba's child at least survived, not everyone is as fortunate. 

Recently, a post by a Facebook user named Jakia Hossain Trisha went viral. The post said that her former colleague had given birth to a baby girl. The baby's grandmother suggested daily oil massages to lengthen the baby's neck, but the parents refused, citing the doctor's prohibition.

On the fourth day after the baby's birth, the mother went to take a bath, during which her mother-in-law gave the baby an oil massage without permission. When the mother returned, she found the baby cold and unresponsive. 

"At the hospital, it was determined that the baby had died 30-45 minutes earlier due to a displaced neck bone, which had caused suffocation," the post read.

"Even if today's women are educated, they are often pressured into following these practices by their mothers-in-law or other elderly family members who may not be as educated."

Major Zinia Sultana, classified specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics at the Combined Military Hospital and lead author of Study on Superstitions Related to Pregnancy (2019)

In Bangladesh, such practices are neither new nor isolated. Other harmful practices include forcing newborn children's noses upwards, applying kohl to their eyes, shaking them violently, inappropriately touching their genitals, using amulets and feeding honey or mustard oil immediately after birth instead of breast milk.

Superstitions and social beliefs also shroud a woman's pregnancy journey.  

For instance, women are advised not to eat during lunar or solar eclipses for fear that it might cause the baby to have a cleft nose or ears. Even when doctors recommend nutritious foods and supplements, some women avoid them, believing they could lead to a larger baby that cannot be delivered normally. 

Tying a rope or amulet around the mother's waist is thought to prevent the baby from rising too high, and many adhere to instructions from traditional midwives or homoeopathic doctors.

These practices frequently lead to various illnesses and physical complications for both mothers and infants. In some cases, they can even prove fatal. 

It is, however, difficult to determine the exact number of deaths resulting from such practices due to a lack of data. Most casualties go unreported and unnoticed, as families often avoid disclosing such cases to protect their reputations.

Experts and studies show that while some progress has been made in recent times, cultural norms and the influence of older family members, particularly women, continue to play a significant role in perpetuating these dangerous practices. 

Hence, behavioural change through community-based awareness remains crucial to ending these traditions.

According to a study published in 2019 titled "Study on Superstitions Related to Pregnancy," which surveyed 96 women — 69.8% of pregnant women were subjected to at least one superstitious practice during their pregnancy period. The study noted that superstitions are more related to illiteracy, low socioeconomic conditions and housewives who remain inside. 

Major Zinia Sultana, the corresponding author of the study and a classified specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics at the Combined Military Hospital noted that the situation has improved over the last five years since the study was conducted, with pregnant women now being more educated and aware.

Nevertheless, she added that it will take much longer to eliminate these issues, as they are cross-generational. "Even if today's women are educated, they are often pressured into following these practices by their mothers-in-law or other elderly family members who may not be as educated," she told The Business Standard.

According to Dr Ala Uddin, a professor of Anthropology at Chittagong University, sometimes gender-based decision-making in families also leads to such practices. 

Senior male members within the family, without directly interacting with or understanding the needs of pregnant women, make decisions to deny proper medical treatment for them or their newborns at hospitals or nursing homes. 

When elderly female in-laws turn to traditional practices, young mothers become victims of domestic power dynamics and are unable to protest.

"Overall, the tendency to seek proper treatment from specialised doctors is still very low in our country," Dr Ala Uddin explained. 

"This issue isn't limited to rural areas. The root problem is a lack of education, and nowadays, there are far more uneducated people living in urban slums than in small villages," he added. 

The 2019 study indicates that women are more superstitious than men, with rates of 71.42% and 58.33%, respectively. Illiterate individuals exhibited higher superstition levels (81.13%) compared to those with primary, secondary and higher secondary education, which had rates of 65.21%, 50% and 33.33% respectively.

The study also found that lower-class individuals were more superstitious than their economically stable counterparts, with superstition rates of 92.72% for the lower class, 54.54% for the lower middle class and 21.05% for the middle class. 

Housewives demonstrated the highest rates of superstition at about 89.90%, compared to 16.7% among students, 50% among farmers and 30% among service holders.

Finally, the study noted that superstitions were more prevalent among Hindus, with approximately 89%, compared to 50% among Muslims and 66.16% among other groups.

Dr Ala Uddin, who has closely studied both the Bangali people, as well as the indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, shared some interesting observations.

According to him, indigenous women tend to be less superstitious than Bangali women, because they generally enjoy more independence in their society and have greater agency over their bodies. 

Their major challenge is living in remote areas, where access to modern healthcare services is often limited, particularly during emergencies. As a result, they are still forced to rely on unqualified midwives who follow superstitious practices, which contributes to the high maternal and infant mortality rates in the hill tract regions.

In contrast, Rohingya women in Rakhine were initially as superstitious as Bangali Muslims, owing to their subscription to similar religious beliefs. After relocating to refugee camps in Ukhiya, they became more independent. They also benefitted from interaction with NGO healthcare professionals, which led to positive behavioural changes through increased education and awareness.

"So, behavioural and cultural change through education and awareness campaigns is key, and both the government and community-based NGOs should work to implement these efforts in other parts of the country as well," Dr Ala Uddin said.

Dr Mahbubur Rashid, a public health epidemiologist, also weighed in on the vital role of community-based NGOs in this matter. 

He pointed out that topics such as reproductive health and pregnancy care have already been integrated into our educational curriculum, which is a significant step toward ensuring that the next generation is well-informed about these subjects.

But to achieve positive behavioural change in the older generation, community-based awareness efforts are crucial. 

"Focusing solely on educating future generations or newly married couples will have limited impact, as decision-making power within families in our country still lies with the older generation—such as a baby's aunts, grandmothers and other primary caregivers. 

We must take the necessary steps to change their attitudes," Dr Rashid concluded.