1. Culturally Congruent Care for the Yemeni Woman
Lindsay Miklo* BSN, RN; Kim Basham* BSN, RN
Hiba Wehbe-Alamah, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CTN-A
University of Michigan-Flint
Cultural/Religious
Beliefs & Practices
Care of Pregnant Woman
Care of Newborn
99% of population is Muslim
Congregational Friday Prayer
Modesty is important
Fatalistic attitude toward life and death: illness as “God’s will”
Belief that evil eye-causes illness
Halal diet
Abstinence from pork and alcohol products
Healers/pharmacists/descendants of the Profit Muhammad sought for healing
Prefers same gender healthcare provider
Values modesty and privacy during examinations
Desires to be supported by other Yemeni women during childbirth
Birth attendant, delivery position and location are a woman’s choice
Resumes work quickly after delivery
Cultural norm: Husband absent during labor & delivery
Husband attends to newborn
Woman chooses name of newborn
Early weaning
Increased bottle feeding
Over-dilution of formula often with contaminated water
Culturally Congruent Care
Conduct a thorough cultural assessment
Avoid stereotyping
Preserve modesty
Provide halal diet
Allow for female caregiver when requested
Restructure practice of khat chewing
Repattern female circumcision cultural practice
Maternal & Infant Mortality Rate
Women's Health Issues
76% home births
Lack of prenatal care
Young age at pregnancy
Close birth spacing
Low prevalence of contraception
Postpartum hemorrhage
Malnutrition and anemia
Khat chewing even during pregnancy leading to poor lactation and postpartum depression
Reproductive tract infections
Miscarriages and stillbirths
Complications from unsafe abortions
Delayed treatment
Female circumcision as a cultural practice
Figure 1. Maternal mortality rate per 100,00 live births
Select References
Al-Abed, A. A., Sutan, R., Al-Dubai, S. R., & Aljunid, S. M. (2014). Family context and khat chewing among adult Yemeni women: A cross-sectional study. Biomed Research International, 1,1-6.
DeJong, J., Bahubaishi, N., & Attal, B. (2012). Effects of reproductive morbidity on women’s lives and cost of accessing treatment in Yemen. Reproductive Health Matters, 20(40),
Kempe, A., Theorell, T., Alwazer, F. N., Christensson, K., & Johansson, A. (2013). Yemenis women’s perceptions of own authority during childbirth: What does it have to do with achieving the millennium development goals?. Midwifery, 29(10),
Riniker, K. (2012). Women's health in Yemen: Factors influencing maternal and infant health, fertility rates, the public health care system, education, and globalization. Journal of Global Health Perspectives, 1,1-7.
(Further references available upon request from or
* Doctor of Nursing Practice Students
Infant mortality rate 75 per 1,000 live births