Maternal Health: a Qualitative Study of Male Partners' Participation in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: Male involvement in maternal healthcare has been described as a key factor to reducing maternal mortality globally. Hence, this study investigated the choice of facility to be used during pregnancy and examined factors that influence male participation in maternal healthcare issues of their spouses as these factors may sometimes influence the choice of health care services for pregnant women.

Method: The study was cross-sectional in design; the setting was at Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria. Thirty married men with at least the experience of birth of baby, who consented to participate, were purposively recruited for the study. Data were transcribed and content analysed using free narrative.

Result: The results show that orthodox health care, traditional birth attendance (TBA), and faith healing were utilised by the respondents. The majority of the participants identified cost of health care services, economic recession, and their job demand as the reasons for their non-active participation in accompanying their spouses for antenatal clinic visit.

Conclusion: However, to increase the level of men's participation in maternal healthcare, especially visiting antenatal clinic with spouses, antenatal services should be free of any monetary charges so as to encourage men to be involved and not look for excuses of financial needs. Utilisation of skilled birth attendance should be reinvigorated.

Keywords: Cost; Economic recession; Healthcare services; Maternal health; Traditional birth attendance.