Men’s involvement in antenatal issues crucial Instead of regarding antenatal matters as trivial, “womanly” and a waste of time, men should get involved by accompanying their wives for antenatal visits, testing and counselling for HIV, while supporting other processes leading to the birth of a child. — Picture by the Elisabeth Glaser Aids Pediatric Foundation (DRC)
Instead of regarding antenatal matters as trivial, “womanly” and a waste of time, men should get involved by accompanying their wives for antenatal visits, testing and counselling for HIV, while supporting other processes leading to the birth of a child. — Picture by the Elisabeth Glaser Aids Pediatric Foundation (DRC)

Instead of regarding antenatal matters as trivial, “womanly” and a waste of time, men should get involved by accompanying their wives for antenatal visits, testing and counselling for HIV, while supporting other processes leading to the birth of a child. — Picture by the Elisabeth Glaser Aids Pediatric Foundation (DRC)

Ruth Butaumocho Gender Forum
A male associate recently asked me to register his child for Zero Grade at one of the private schools in town. Just before I got into the schoolhead’s office, I decided to phone and ask him other personal details including his son’s date of birth.

He didn’t have the faintest clue when his son was born and could not even estimate how old he was except postulate that he was probably four or five years. He promised to come back to me with the exact date, naturally after consulting his wife, the chief executive and the managing director of the home.

Although I was disappointed with his level of ignorance on such important matters, I was not surprised.

I just didn’t expect him to be in the league of a number of my male colleagues, friends and relatives who have no idea when their children were born and are often quick to refer such questions to their wives, sisters and even their own mothers.

This is so because the majority of men have for long negated antenatal issues, which they often say are best left in the hands of their wives and other females within range.

For a long time pregnancy and giving birth have been considered to be privileges and functions of women, and were not in any way associated with men.

Throughout the nine-month period a woman is pregnant, she is expected to make herself comfortable without soliciting for assistance from the husband, make numerous trips for the antenatal lessons and clinic all alone, without fussing about anything.

Many people often presume this to be the period when a woman is expected to execute her motherhood, diligently and raise the bar, without asking for moral support from the husband, whose main role during that time is to provide financial and material support to cover the pre and post-pregnancy period.

In some cultures, a man has to be separated from his wife and only meet her on intervals until she gives birth on the grounds that their association will weaken the unborn baby.

Studies that are coming up show that men are largely unaware of available and importance of antenatal testing and counselling services, an area they consider to be a female domain.

While most men support antenatal provisions, such as the antenatal HIV testing — at the insistence of their wives — they divorce themselves completely from other antenatal processes that their wives go through before a child is born.

Whether it’s fear of testing regularly for HIV or fear of being labelled “sissy” by relatives or friends, most men do not want to be directly involved in antenatal matters.

The study noted that husbands participate in the antenatal communication indirectly, through spousal communication, being faithful during pregnancy, and providing the material and financial support needed.

Pregnant women who were interviewed actually confirmed the researcher’s hypothesis when they revealed that their husbands’ involvement was compromised by their reluctance to learn their HIV status and the threat that HIV poses to marriage.

What a majority of men fail to realise is that pregnancy alone is often accompanied by potential risks such as illness and death of the unborn child or the mother herself, calling for the involvement of everyone.

With the increasing cases of HIV, especially among married couples, who sometimes have discordant HIV results, fathers should be actively involved in antenatal processes, to protect the unborn baby while taking decisions on health issues of the family.

Instead of regarding antenatal matters as trivial, “womanly” and a waste of time, men should get involved by accompanying their wives for antenatal visits, testing and counselling for HIV, while supporting other processes leading to the birth of a child.

And studies show that once men are involved in antenatal processes, it results in a decline in child mortality, behavioural change and family planning adoption is likely to be more effective for women once their partners are involved, effectively curbing sexually reproductive related health problems.

The world over there is now a growing acceptance of family planning as an HIV prevention strategy, especially when men and youth are involved.

Their knowledge of internal processes on health and HIV help them make informed decisions before they engage in risky behaviour.

They will also be quick to act and access health services early when a woman is pregnant, reducing child mortality and other complications related to pregnancy.

At the end of the day, while it is crucial to empower women, it is equally important to increase male involvement in maternal health care-seeking, factors which are key in reducing preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide.

However, the involvement of men will not be achieved overnight because such decisions are reached through a process of co-operation, compromise and persuasion, often involving diverse negotiation or even buy-ins from friends, church-mates and other relatives.

Antenatal care should be everyone’s responsibility.

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