Probable women everywhere have always practiced some kind of perineal care, varying according to cultural influeces. Professional nursing care may benefit from investigation of such traditional health care practices.
The problem addressed by this study was to discover the traditional Korean practices related to perineal care with specific reference to use of a mugwort(artemisia) solution, The purpose was to consider the appropriatness of recommending mugwort for personal and. Professional nursing care practice.
An ethnographic approach was used. The setting was three rural villages in the province of North Choongchung, and one village the province of in Kyungki. The informants were 137 women who had had children. The data were collected from January to May, 1990.
The finding included the following.
1. Perineal care had been practiced for the purposes of hygiene, to treat vaginal discharge or just as a learned habit. Ordinary utensils found around the home and previously designated for other purposes were used. A place was chosen which ,´assured privacy. Water or water with salt or vinegar in it were used as solutions. It was poured or splashed onto the perineum from a ladle, kettle.or basin.
2. Ninety-seven women had used a mugwort solution for post-partum perineal care. Another 20 said they knew of its good properties but had not been able to use it for lack of someone to help prepare it for them after they had had their babies. Mugwort solution was used for post-parturn recovery, pain or discomfort, lacerations and infection. It was used two or three times a day from the second day after birth for up to 10 days : some women who could not use it conveniently or felt they had no special problem used it for three or tour times only after their deliveries.
The solution was prepared as an infusion of mugwort, like a herb tea, or boiled in water and use as a soak or wash or the steam was used by sitting on a commode over the vapour for 10, 20 or 30 minutes or even up to one hour. It was thought to aid in recovery after childbirth, relieve pain and promote healing of lacerated tissues.
Some in formers had used perineal care and. Specifically mugwort solution for treatment of vaginal discharge which they related to menses, sexual intercourse, disease, childbirth, fatigue, exposure to cold and unknown causes. When vaginal discharge was related to nornal menses, sexual intercourse, or cold, they either did nothing, used a cleansing solution or a folk rernedy. When related to disease they sought herbal, folk on modern medical remedies.
The literature describes mugwort as warm(an oriental herb medicine concept), bitter to taste, and as having antipyretic, hemostatic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiphlogistic and anthelmintic properties. It is therefore considered effective in the prevention of bleeding and infection and in the promotion of healing of the perineum after childbirth. It is recommended for all manner of medicinal use throughout the childbirth period and especially for all manner of medicinal use throughout the chidbirth period and especially for the treatment of gynecological diseases.
The findings suggest that the traditional use of mugwort solution for personal, perineal care would not be contrary to modern nursing. Indeed, the use of mugwort solution can be recommended and encouraged for maternal care and the promotion of womens´ health, in particular for post partum perinea] care where its pharmacuticail action and clinical effectiveness can be recogniz ed.
Accordingly experimental studies of the use of mugwort solution should be initiated toward ascertaining its value for clinical use in hospital and other settings. If the rationalle and benefits of this traditional health practice can be confirmed, it can become part of the repetoire of Korean nursing care practice.
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