Men perspectives on attending antenatal care visits together with their pregnant partners in Misungwi district, rural Tanzania: a qualitative study
Background: Mens’attendance with their pregnant partners at facility-based antenatal care (ANC) visits is important for maternal and child health and gender equality yet remains uncommon in parts of rural Tanzania. This study examined men’s perspectives on attending ANC with their pregnant partners in Misungwi District, Tanzania.
Methods: Twelve individual interviews and five focus group discussions were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires with fathers, expectant fathers, and in-depth interviews were done to health providers, volunteer community health workers, and village leaders. Interviews were recorded and transcribed in Swahili and later translated to English. The research team conducted thematic analysis to identify common themes among interviews.
Results: We identified two broad themes on the barriers to male attendance at facility-based ANC visits: (1) Perceived exclusion during ANC visits among men (2) Traditional gender norms resulting to low attendance among men.
Conclusion: Attendance at health facility for ANC visits by men with their pregnant partners in the study areas were challenged by structural and local cultural norms. At the facility men were uncomfortable to sit with women due to lack of specific waiting area for men and that they perceived to be neglected. Local cultural norms demanded women to have secrecy in pregnancy while men perceived not to have a role of being with their partners during ANC visits.
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Men perspectives on attending antenatal care visits together with their pregnant partners in Misungwi district, rural Tanzania: a qualitative study
Posted 05 Jan, 2021
On 28 Jan, 2021
On 06 Jan, 2021
On 28 Dec, 2020
On 28 Dec, 2020
On 21 Dec, 2020
On 06 Dec, 2020
Received 29 Nov, 2020
Received 18 Nov, 2020
On 08 Nov, 2020
Invitations sent on 05 Nov, 2020
On 05 Nov, 2020
On 16 Sep, 2020
On 15 Sep, 2020
On 15 Sep, 2020
On 17 Aug, 2020
Received 04 Aug, 2020
Received 01 Aug, 2020
On 26 Jul, 2020
On 23 Jul, 2020
On 01 Jul, 2020
Invitations sent on 01 Jul, 2020
On 23 Jun, 2020
On 23 Jun, 2020
Background: Mens’attendance with their pregnant partners at facility-based antenatal care (ANC) visits is important for maternal and child health and gender equality yet remains uncommon in parts of rural Tanzania. This study examined men’s perspectives on attending ANC with their pregnant partners in Misungwi District, Tanzania.
Methods: Twelve individual interviews and five focus group discussions were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires with fathers, expectant fathers, and in-depth interviews were done to health providers, volunteer community health workers, and village leaders. Interviews were recorded and transcribed in Swahili and later translated to English. The research team conducted thematic analysis to identify common themes among interviews.
Results: We identified two broad themes on the barriers to male attendance at facility-based ANC visits: (1) Perceived exclusion during ANC visits among men (2) Traditional gender norms resulting to low attendance among men.
Conclusion: Attendance at health facility for ANC visits by men with their pregnant partners in the study areas were challenged by structural and local cultural norms. At the facility men were uncomfortable to sit with women due to lack of specific waiting area for men and that they perceived to be neglected. Local cultural norms demanded women to have secrecy in pregnancy while men perceived not to have a role of being with their partners during ANC visits.