“I came to escort someone”: Men’s experiences of antenatal care services in urban Ghana—a qualitative study

Abstract

Background Male involvement in maternal healthcare has been widely recognized as essential for positive health outcomes for expectant mothers and their unborn babies. However, few studies have explored men’s experiences of maternal health services. The purpose of this paper is to explore men’s involvement in antenatal care in urban Ghana and to discuss how men navigate their roles in a space that has been constructed as feminine. The study draws upon theories of space, place, and gender. Methods A qualitative exploratory study using semistructured interviews, focus group discussion, and observation was conducted in Accra, Ghana. Expectant fathers and health workers were interviewed, and observation was conducted at a selected public hospital in Accra. Results The findings suggest that the few men who attend antenatal care with their expecting partners become involved to a limited extent in the clinic’s activities. Beyond a few who take an active role, most men stay on the outskirts of the hospital grounds and rarely participate in consultations with their partner and midwife. Men still view their presence as necessary to acquire knowledge and as sources of emotional, financial, and physical support for their partners. On the health workers’ side, the study found no clear agenda for engaging men at the clinic, and nurses/midwives felt there was a lack of staff who could engage more directly with the men. Conclusion The study indicates that most expecting fathers feel too shy and uncomfortable to locate themselves in the female space that makes up antenatal care/maternity wards. Health workers do not feel they have the necessary resources to involve men fruitfully. Thus, men do not engage in the activity as hoped but rather remain on the outskirts of the maternity clinic. However, if men continue to negotiate their involvement at the clinic and become more assertive in their roles, the maternity clinic as a female space could, with time, be transformed into a space in which both expecting mothers and fathers can actively participate and be engaged to the benefit of all. This article discusses men’s roles and involvement in health workers’ activities when they accompany their pregnant partners to the maternity clinic. Health workers organize antenatal care services (ANCs) for expectant mothers to receive regular check-ups during pregnancy. Since pregnancy and childbirth are generally viewed as women’s domains, men have not traditionally been expected to attend antenatal care with their partners. However, recent national and global agendas have recognized men’s inclusion in maternal healthcare as central to improving mothers’ and unborn babies’ health. Men are being encouraged to play an active role in supporting their partners during pregnancy, and as part of this role, they are encouraged to attend antenatal care services. In the health facility where this study was conducted, we found that the few men who attended antenatal care most of the time stayed outside the maternity clinic under trees or in other empty spaces around the clinic. They opted to remain in the outside areas because they felt shy sitting among women who were a substantial majority at the clinic. We also found that health workers rarely involved men in ANC activities because of a lack of staff to engage men in separate sessions. Although the fathers attending antenatal care were disappointed that they were not engaged in activities, they still found it necessary to attend to give their partners emotional, physical, and financial support. Without the consideration of how ANC activities are structured and the appropriate resources for health workers, men’s active participation in ANCs will remain minimal.