Husbands’ involvement in antenatal-related care in the Bosomtwe District of Ghana: inquiry into the facilitators and barriers

Abstract

Abstract Background This paper explored the facilitators and barriers to husbands’ involvement in antenatal-related care in the Bosomtwe District of Ghana from the perspectives of husbands, pregnant women with and without delivery experience, nursing mothers, midwives and traditional birth attendants. Methods The study relied on the qualitative research design to collect and analyse data on the facilitators and barriers to husbands’ involvement in antenatal-related care. The unit of analysis was made up of 36 participants—husbands (14), pregnant women with delivery experience and, nursing mothers (8), pregnant women without delivery experience (6), male and female midwives (6) and traditional birth attendants (2) who were purposively selected. The study’s data was gathered using in-depth interviews and analysed through the content approach. Results Various economic [work and time constraint], cultural [the association of childbearing and its allied duties to women] and health-system factors [lack of antenatal services targeted at husbands and health professionals’ attitude] hinder husbands’ active participation in antenatal care. Despite these, some husbands participated in antenatal care owing to the importance they accord to the health and safety of their wives and the foetus; changing gender roles and preferential treatments received by their wives at antenatal clinics [as a result of the involvement of their husbands in prenatal care]. Conclusion The implementation of alternative strategies, like, couple counselling, prolonging operating times of health centres to accommodate working men are recommended to provide a more accommodative and attractive avenue for husbands to support their wives during pregnancy. These efforts must be reinforced by the entire society through modifying the “ill-held view” that pregnancy and childcare is the sole duty of a woman.