The use of Pitsa among Basotho pregnant women in Mafikeng, Roma

Abstract

The current study explored the views of Basotho women about the use of pitsa during pregnancy. Research globally shows the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as prevalent and influenced by factors including inadequate healthcare services in developing countries. In exploring the use of pitsa as a form of CAM, the current study adopted the Rational Choice Theory (RCT) as the lens through which to look at women’s experiences. The RCT attributes the use of CAM to family and societal norms, an individual’s accessibility to resources, their personal values and the competence to develop the right values. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and used case study design to explain Basotho women’s views within an interpretivist paradigm. Convenient sampling was used chose Roma Valley as the site for data collecting while a combination of convenience and purposive sampling was used to select 11 women participants. Participants were women who had given birth. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with all 11 participants and thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Women in the study felt they had no other choice but to use pitsa during their pregnancies because some lived far from healthcare centres when they first gave birth, but most importantly the use of pitsa during pregnancy was a norm around them. Some state that they were young and did not know better but given that pitsa was suggested to them by elders who were close to them namely, a mother, a mother-in-law, or grandparents, it was easy to use it. As such, participants did not feel victims in their use of pitsa, they found it to be a beneficial practice inherited from their trusted elders. Thus, the closeness of the people who introduced pitsa to them made them to adopt it without resistance. Further, participants did not share any known dangers and threats to the use of pitsa except human misuse such as witchcraft which is intentional. Some were superstitious and referred to pitsa as a form of fortification to themselves and their babies during pregnancy. The study concludes that pitsa seems a trusted medication for the participants and its use must be studied further to improve it.