[Myths and beliefs during pregnancy in the northwest region of Portugal and the implications for women's health].

Throughout her life, the woman is confronted with tales of experiences and stories which are eternally passed on from parents to children, which in rare cases precede beliefs and myths determinants of their behaviours. These beliefs and myths generate fears and worries from which a woman bases the representation of her pregnancy. The main objective of this study held in the north-western region of Portugal is to confirm if the pregnant women who attend the public health services are, or not, influenced by myths or beliefs and to identify behaviours expressed by these woman that are directly dependent on the beliefs.

Beliefs and Traditions Related to a Child's First Year of Life: A Study of the North-west of Portugal.

In this paper we propose an approach to investigate, in the North-west of Portugal, the parents' behaviour at birth and during the first year of life of their children. We compare the heritage, specifically the beliefs and traditions, with the changes that resulted from the recent and deep cultural transformations that have taken place in Portugal in the last few decades. In parallel, we tried to determine if the parents' behaviours, based on beliefs and traditions, can affect the children's health.