A Qualitative Exploration of the Meaning and Understanding of Male Partner Involvement in Pregnancy-Related Care Among Men in Rural South Africa

Abstract

Male partner involvement (MPI) during antenatal care has been promoted as an effective intervention to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. Although MPI is commonly defined as men attending antenatal clinic visits with their female partner, few men attend antenatal clinic visits in rural communities in the province of Mpumalanga, South Africa. The study aimed to qualitatively explore the meaning and understanding of MPI as perceived by men visiting primary health care clinics in rural communities in Mpumalanga. Six focus groups discussions (<em>n </em>= 53) were conducted, digitally recorded, simultaneously transcribed, and translated verbatim into English. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Perceptions of male roles during and after pregnancy differed among men. Male involvement was understood as giving instrumental support to female partners through financial help, helping out with physical tasks, and providing emotional support. Accompanying female partners to the clinic was also viewed as partner support, including behaviors such as holding a spot for her in the clinic queues. Community attitudes, traditional beliefs, and negative experiences in health facilities were barriers for MPI. This study provides support for concerted efforts to work with both men and women within the cultural context to explore the important roles of all members of the family in working together to provide the best possible health outcomes for mother and infant. In particular, future interventions should focus on making antenatal care services more responsive to male partners, and improving male partner accessibility in health care facilities.

Roles and Expectations of Male Partners from PMTCT services in Chiradzulu Malawi: A Qualitative Study

“…Our findings on the role of men in caring for their partners from pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery resonates with a South African study that regarded accompanying partners to the antenatal clinic as a form of spousal support [5]. Although men in Malawi accompany their spouses to the antenatal clinic they usually wait outside the clinic rooms while their partner accesses services [32].…”

“…Male Involvement (MI) is key to uptake and adherence of health services including PMTCT [1][2][3][4]. There are varied definitions for MI and includes physical presence of a man in the antenatal or postnatal clinics [5], support that is remotely provided without accompaniment [1]. The support may include living positively with HIV infection either in HIV discordant or HIV concordant couples; creation of a fast track mechanism for women at the antenatal clinic because in most health facilities women who are accompanied by their partners at the antennal clinics receive preferential care by being served early than women who come alone; decision on the preferred method for family planning [1,6].…”

Roles and Expectations of Male Partners from PMTCT services in Chiradzulu Malawi: A Qualitative Study

“…Our findings on the role of men in caring for their partners from pregnancy, delivery and postdelivery resonates with a South African study that regarded accompanying partners to the antenatal clinic as a form of spousal support [5]. Although men in Malawi accompany their spouses to the antenatal clinic they usually wait outside the clinic rooms while their partner accesses services [32].…”

“…In our study men the role of men was limited to financial provision while in other studies it encompassed physical presence of a man at the clinic where PMTCT services are delivered and attending to clinic appointments and all health related issues [1,32]. The observed difference in the roles of men arises from the way men perceive and describe their role in different contexts [5]. The varying clarity on definitions and roles necessitates a deliberate effort to specify in the PMTCT guidelines on the roles of men to promote understanding across the stakeholders in PMTCT services.…”

“…Furthermore, it has been asserted that PMTCT services are for women without specific roles that are directed towards men [19]. In other instances men have been used as a mechanism to fast-track women within the antenatal clinics [1,5] with no services targeted for them.…”