Abstract
BackgroundThe consumption of bear gallbladders and bear bile in Southeast Asia is a persistent threat to bear populations. As part of a larger effort to understand the characteristics of bear part consumption in Cambodia, we uncovered a consumer base of women seeking treatment for post-partum and uterine ailments.MethodsTo better understand this aspect of consumption, we interviewed 122 women in seven different provinces in Cambodia, probing into the motivations and influences for using bear bile, as well as what types of ailments Cambodian women use it for.ResultsWe found that it is generally used by young or expecting mothers, and for such issues as post-partum “fatigue” (toas in Khmer), which could encompass post-partum depression. A desire to be supported by kin networks seems to facilitate the continued use of bear gallbladder and bile for these purposes.ConclusionsWe suggest that efforts to reduce consumption should focus on encouraging older kin to change their means of support to Western/biomedical and by extension non-wildlife alternatives.
Highlights
The alternative treatment strategies that some mothers embrace can diverge in a plurality of ways from the dominant medicinal system
Using semi-structured interviews with Cambodian women across the country (Fig. 1), we present a picture of bear bile use for pregnancy and post-partum ailments and analyze the rationales for its use, the potential drivers of its use, and further research avenues
Familial relations in pregnancy males can certainly be active participants in the pregnancy and post-partum process, in Khmer society it is generally women who devote their time and care to expecting and post-partum mothers [2]. These kinship networks are highly important for reducing possible anxiety associated with childbirth, and in particular anxieties that may arise during the post-partum period [31]
Summary
We found that it is generally used by young or expecting mothers, and for such issues as post-partum “fatigue” (toas in Khmer), which could encompass post-partum depression. A desire to be supported by kin networks seems to facilitate the continued use of bear gallbladder and bile for these purposes
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