scholarly journals Male partner participation in maternity care and social support for childbearing women: a discussion paper

Author(s):  
Marina Alice Sylvia Daniele

Male partners/fathers are key support persons for many childbearing women and their involvement in pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum/postnatal period has beneficial effects on a wide range of outcomes related to maternal and child health and family wellbeing. Social support is implicated in the relevant causal pathway, but has received largely tangential attention in the public health literature. This discussion paper aims to reframe men's participation in maternity care as an opportunity to enhance their readiness and ability to provide social support to women, contributing to the debate on the definition and rationale for male partner involvement, and paving the way for further empirical work. I begin by presenting a theory of change illustrating the causal pathway leading from male partner participation, through the key intermediate step of social support, to improved health and wellbeing for women and children. I proceed by arguing that many people desire male partner participation in maternity care; however, in practice, this is often limited owing to cultural, social and institutional barriers. I use examples from the intervention literature to demonstrate how participation in care can boost men's motivation to support women and enhance their ability to do so by increasing their knowledge and skills. Finally, I draw up general implications for further male partner involvement programmes, suggesting that in order to achieve meaningful and sustainable gains, attention to design is crucial in order to avoid reinforcing patriarchal gender norms. Programmes should be implemented alongside other efforts to improve quality and promote woman-centred care. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal–child health’.

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Atenchong Ngwibete ◽  
Chizoma M Ndikom ◽  
Felix E Anyiam

Background/Aims In 2015, the World Health Organization recommended male partner involvement in maternal and child health as an effective strategy to combat maternal and child health in pregnancy. Healthcare practitioners' acceptance of male partners in maternal and child healthcare is likely to improve provider and patient satisfaction. The main objective of the study was to assess nurses' and midwives' perceptions of male partner involvement in maternity care, and their willingness and constraints to performing it in selected hospitals in Imo, Nigeria. Methods A mixed-method approach was used to gather data from nurses and midwives in the antenatal care, labour and postnatal care wards of selected hospitals. A semi-structured questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect data assessing the participants' perceptions of male partner involvement in maternity care and of the barriers to it. Quantitative data were analysed through bivariate analysis, using the Chi squared test, and key quotes were extracted from qualitative data to illustrate relevant points. Results The majority (57%) of the respondent had a good perception of the concept of male partner involvement. The ward that a participant worked in significantly affected their perception (P=0.01). Respondents were willing to accept male partners in maternity care through education and providing more male-friendly services. However, sociocultural, hospital policy and structural factors restricted acceptance of men in the wards. Conclusions Nurses and midwives in all wards should be educated on the importance of male partner involvement in maternity care. Nurses and midwives need to engage in community health education programmes that will modify cultural constraints to male partner involvement and facilities should modify their structure and policies to be more male-friendly.


Author(s):  
Atenchong Ngwibete

Abstract: Male partner involvement has been recommended as an effective strategy to combat maternal and child death in pregnancy and childbirth and to promote effective child care. This study assessed nurses'/midwives perception Knowledge on male involvement in midwifery care. A total of 84 nurses/midwives were purposively selected from the facility for the study. The study employed a quantitative approach in which a questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 25. Respondents’ were aware of the importance of male involvement in maternity care and 60.7% of the respondents had a good level of knowledge on male involvement in maternity care. Respondents’ number of years in practice (X2 =13.76, p=0.001)and rank (X2 =14.75, p=0.012) were significantly associated with their level of knowledge. If facilities can improve the knowledge of nurses/midwives and other health care providers on the concept of male involvement and in maternity care, there will be the implementation of a more ‘Male-friendly’ care approach in maternity care.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Faye Forbes ◽  
Karen Wynter ◽  
Berihun M. Zeleke ◽  
Jane Fisher

Abstract Background Family-centred maternity care models include the expectation that fathers prepare for and attend the birth. In Australia over 20% of the population is from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. Public policies espouse culturally competent healthcare. Little is known about the experiences of perinatal health care of men from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities living in high income countries. The aim was to understand the experiences, attitudes and beliefs about father’s inclusion in perinatal healthcare, from the growing, and recently settled community of Ethiopian families living in Australia. Methods A qualitative study using semi-structured individual interviews with Ethiopian-Australian men and women who had experienced Australian maternity care and were sampled for diversity of time since migration, and parity. Interviews were in English, audio-recorded, transcribed and then analysed thematically. Results Participants were seven women and six men all born in Ethiopia, including two couples. Key themes included: the loss of extended family through migration, new roles for both parents and the need to establish ‘family-like’ relationships with friendship groups in Australia. There was a willingness to involve male partners in the Ethiopian community in Australia, although it was recognised as a cultural change. Experiences of male partner involvement were mixed among healthcare types, with men attending Maternal and Child Health (MCH) appointments less frequently than antenatal (ANC) appointments. Conclusions Results suggests men may be missing out on the education provided during antenatal appointments and may benefit from an alternative. There were not universally high levels of cultural competency among healthcare professionals, with further training still required. Commitment to paid employment remains a barrier to men’s involvement, suggesting that flexible working conditions and increased paternity leave would support their involvement. Alternatively services could utilise flexible delivery methods such as phone and zoom to include fathers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 875-884
Author(s):  
Nava Yeganeh ◽  
Tara Kerin ◽  
Mariana Simon ◽  
Karin Nielsen-Saines ◽  
Jeffrey D Klausner ◽  
...  

Male partner involvement in prenatal care has been shown to improve outcomes for the entire family in low- and middle income countries. In Brazil, partners of pregnant women are encouraged to attend prenatal care for HIV testing. From November 2016 to July 2017, male partners of women delivering at Hospital Conceiçao were interviewed using computer-assisted telephone interviews regarding individual, relationship and system-wide facilitators and barriers to attending prenatal care. Of 403 men interviewed, 202 attended prenatal care and 201 did not. Individual factors that predicted prenatal care attendance included over-estimating the risk of mother to child transmission (AOR 2.13, 95% CI: 1.35–3.4), and endorsing that HIV-infected individuals can live satisfying lives (AOR 7.24, 95% CI: 1.9–47.5). Partnership factors associated with attendance included invitation by partner (AOR 5.6, 95% CI: 2.4–15.6). Systemic factors negatively associated with prenatal care attendance included a history of not being able to afford medical care (AOR 0.3, 95% CI: 0.15–0.6) and identifying work as a barrier to prenatal care attendance (AOR 0.19 95% CI: 0.11–0.31). Partners should be actively invited to prenatal care during flexible flexible hours. Once involved, almost all would accept HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing to protect partners and unborn infants during this vulnerable period.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. e0238097
Author(s):  
Karen M. Hampanda ◽  
Oliver Mweemba ◽  
Yusuf Ahmed ◽  
Abigail Hatcher ◽  
Janet M. Turan ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 291-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Hampanda ◽  
Lisa Abuogi ◽  
Pamela Musoke ◽  
Maricianah Onono ◽  
Anna Helova ◽  
...  

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