Abstract
Male involvement in maternal health has been linked to positive health outcomes for women and children, as they control household resources and make significant decisions, which influence maternal health. Despite of the important role they have in maternal health care, their actual involvement remains low. The objective of this study was to explore community perspectives on potential barriers to men's involvement in maternity care in central Tanzania. Qualitative research methods were used in data collection. We conducted 32 focus group discussions (16 FGDs with men and 16 FGDs with women) and 34 in-depth interviews with community leaders, village health workers and health care providers. Interview guides were used to guide the focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The interviews and discussions were audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English and imported into QSR NVivo 9 software for thematic analysis. Three themes emerged from the data; men's maternity care involvement indicators, benefits of men's involvement in maternity health care services and barriers to men's involvement in maternity health care services. Both men and women participants acknowledged the importance of men's involvement in maternity health care services, even though few men actually got involved. Identified benefits of men's involvement in maternity health care services include: Learning any risk factors directly from the health care providers and getting prepared in addressing them; and reinforcing adherence to instruction received from the health care provider as family protectors and guardians. Barriers to men's involvement in maternity health care services are systemic; starting from the family, health care and culture-specific gender norms for maternity related behaviour as well as healthcare facilities structural constrains inhibiting implementation of couple-friendly maternity health care services. Men's involvement in maternity care is influenced by culture-specific maternity-related gender norms. This situation is compounded by the conditions of deprivation that deny women access to resources with which they could find alternative support during pregnancy. Moreover, structures meant for maternal health care services lack privacy, thus inhibiting male partners' presence in the delivery room. Intervention to increase men's involvement in maternity care should address individual and systemic barriers to men's involvement.
Highlights
Maternity care is all care in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period
Identified benefits of men’s involvement in maternity health care services include: Learning any risk factors directly from the health care providers and getting prepared in addressing them; and reinforcing adherence to instruction received from the health care provider as family protectors and guardians
Men’s involvement in maternity care is influenced by culture-specific maternity-related gender norms. This situation is compounded by the conditions of deprivation that deny women access to resources with which they could find alternative support during pregnancy
Summary
Maternity care is all care in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Good maternity care includes: pre-pregnancy and pregnancy care, trained assistance during deliver, knowing the warning signs, planning ahead and community support [1]. All these care require the commitment of both health authorities and community members (husband, male partners, in-laws, parents). Byamugisha et al [5] define men’s involvement as men attending ANC services with their partners, knowing their partner’s antenatal appointment, discussing antenatal interventions with their partners, supporting their partner’s antenatal visit financially, taking time to find out what goes on in the antenatal clinic and seeking permission to use a condom during the current pregnancy. Men’s involvement is defined as men attending antenatal care (ANC) visits and relieving their pregnant partners from performing heavy workload. The objective of this study was to explore community perspectives on potential barriers to men’s involvement in maternity care in central Tanzania
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
