title: A Comparison of Practices During the Confinement Period among Chinese, Malay, and Indian Mothers in Singapore.
abstract: Confinement (restrictions placed on diet and practices during the month right after delivery) represents a key feature of Asian populations. Few studies, however, have focused specifically on ethnic differences in confinement practices. This study assesses the confinement practices of three ethnic groups in a multi-ethnic Asian population.
  
  
  
  Participants were part of a prospective birth cohort study that recruited 1,247 pregnant women (57.2% Chinese, 25.5% Malay, and 17.3% Indian) during their first trimester. The 1,220 participants were followed up 3 weeks postpartum at home when questionnaires were administered to ascertain the frequency of adherence to the following confinement practices: showering; confinement-specific meals; going out with or without the baby; choice of caregiver assistance; and the use of massage therapy.
  
  
  
  Most participants reported that they followed confinement practices during the first 3 weeks postpartum (Chinese: 96.4%, Malay: 92.4%, Indian: 85.6%). Chinese and Indian mothers tended to eat more special confinement diets than Malay mothers (p < 0.001), and Chinese mothers showered less and were more likely to depend on confinement nannies during this period than mothers from the two other ethnic groups (p < 0.001 for all). Malay mothers tended to make greater use of massage therapy (p < 0.001), whilst Indian mothers tended to have their mothers or mothers-in-law as assistant caregivers (p < 0.001).
  
  
  
  Most Singapore mothers follow confinement practices, but the three Asian ethnic groups differed in specific confinement practices. Future studies should examine whether ethnic differences persist in later childrearing practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fok
authors.affiliation: Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
authors.forename: Izzuddin M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Aris
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jiahui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Development, KK Women's & Children's Hospital (KKH), Singapore.
authors.forename: Sok Bee
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), Singapore.
authors.forename: Mei Chien
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Wei Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Tahir Foundation Building, National University of Singapore, Singapore.|Myopia Unit, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.
authors.forename: Seang-Mei
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Saw
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), Singapore.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwek
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, Southampton, UK.|NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Keith M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.|Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.|Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
authors.forename: Yap Seng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000208:ethnology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012846:Singapore; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asian population; birth-cohort; confinement practices; postpartum