World Journal of Public Health

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Male Partner Involvement in Birth Preparedness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services: A study in the West Mamprusi Municipality of Northern Ghana

Received: 05 June 2018    Accepted: 21 June 2018    Published: 16 July 2018
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Abstract

Men as partners in patriarchal societies play a very crucial role in pregnancy and childbirth. It has also been noted that male partners play an important role in family planning in Ghana. This notwithstanding, their involvement in maternal health has not been well investigated. This study sought to establish male partners’ involvement in antenatal care utilization in West Mamprusi Municipality The study design was cross-sectional involving 351 respondents both male and female in West Mamprusi Municipality. The participants in the study were people aged 18 years and above who had at least a child born within one year prior to the study. Both questionnaire and focus group discussion guide was to gather the data. Results from the study revealed that majority of the participants had visited health facilities for antenatal care. It further showed that of those who visited for antenatal care, majority did not go with their partners. However, knowledge on birth preparedness and danger signs was good. With respect to place of delivery, majority were encouraged to deliver at health facilities. Majority of the participants averred that male partners noninvolvement in delivery is due to the fact that they perceive pregnancy and delivery as women affair. The majority of male partners supported their spouses’ maternal care services; they did not involve themselves in birth preparedness and postnatal care. This calls for proper education to encourage male partners to involve themselves in all matters relating to pregnancy and child-birth.

DOI 10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.11
Published in World Journal of Public Health (Volume 3, Issue 3, September 2018)
Page(s) 69-75
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Male Partner, Utilization, Antenatal Care, Involvement, Postnatal Care

References
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Author Information
  • Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Science, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

  • Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Science, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

  • Department of Public Health, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

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    Adadow Yidana, Shamsu-Deen Ziblim, Benjamin Yamusah. (2018). Male Partner Involvement in Birth Preparedness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services: A study in the West Mamprusi Municipality of Northern Ghana. World Journal of Public Health, 3(3), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.11

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    ACS Style

    Adadow Yidana; Shamsu-Deen Ziblim; Benjamin Yamusah. Male Partner Involvement in Birth Preparedness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services: A study in the West Mamprusi Municipality of Northern Ghana. World J. Public Health 2018, 3(3), 69-75. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.11

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    AMA Style

    Adadow Yidana, Shamsu-Deen Ziblim, Benjamin Yamusah. Male Partner Involvement in Birth Preparedness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services: A study in the West Mamprusi Municipality of Northern Ghana. World J Public Health. 2018;3(3):69-75. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.11,
      author = {Adadow Yidana and Shamsu-Deen Ziblim and Benjamin Yamusah},
      title = {Male Partner Involvement in Birth Preparedness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services: A study in the West Mamprusi Municipality of Northern Ghana},
      journal = {World Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {69-75},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjph.20180303.11},
      abstract = {Men as partners in patriarchal societies play a very crucial role in pregnancy and childbirth. It has also been noted that male partners play an important role in family planning in Ghana. This notwithstanding, their involvement in maternal health has not been well investigated. This study sought to establish male partners’ involvement in antenatal care utilization in West Mamprusi Municipality The study design was cross-sectional involving 351 respondents both male and female in West Mamprusi Municipality. The participants in the study were people aged 18 years and above who had at least a child born within one year prior to the study. Both questionnaire and focus group discussion guide was to gather the data. Results from the study revealed that majority of the participants had visited health facilities for antenatal care. It further showed that of those who visited for antenatal care, majority did not go with their partners. However, knowledge on birth preparedness and danger signs was good. With respect to place of delivery, majority were encouraged to deliver at health facilities. Majority of the participants averred that male partners noninvolvement in delivery is due to the fact that they perceive pregnancy and delivery as women affair. The majority of male partners supported their spouses’ maternal care services; they did not involve themselves in birth preparedness and postnatal care. This calls for proper education to encourage male partners to involve themselves in all matters relating to pregnancy and child-birth.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    T1  - Male Partner Involvement in Birth Preparedness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services: A study in the West Mamprusi Municipality of Northern Ghana
    AU  - Adadow Yidana
    AU  - Shamsu-Deen Ziblim
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    AB  - Men as partners in patriarchal societies play a very crucial role in pregnancy and childbirth. It has also been noted that male partners play an important role in family planning in Ghana. This notwithstanding, their involvement in maternal health has not been well investigated. This study sought to establish male partners’ involvement in antenatal care utilization in West Mamprusi Municipality The study design was cross-sectional involving 351 respondents both male and female in West Mamprusi Municipality. The participants in the study were people aged 18 years and above who had at least a child born within one year prior to the study. Both questionnaire and focus group discussion guide was to gather the data. Results from the study revealed that majority of the participants had visited health facilities for antenatal care. It further showed that of those who visited for antenatal care, majority did not go with their partners. However, knowledge on birth preparedness and danger signs was good. With respect to place of delivery, majority were encouraged to deliver at health facilities. Majority of the participants averred that male partners noninvolvement in delivery is due to the fact that they perceive pregnancy and delivery as women affair. The majority of male partners supported their spouses’ maternal care services; they did not involve themselves in birth preparedness and postnatal care. This calls for proper education to encourage male partners to involve themselves in all matters relating to pregnancy and child-birth.
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