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Men’s Role in Safe Motherhood and Family Well-being

Men’s Role in Safe Motherhood and Family Well-being. World Health Organization. Lack of Progress: Can Male Involvement Help?. During first 10-year Safe Motherhood Initiative, no reduction in annual number of maternal deaths related to pregnancy

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Men’s Role in Safe Motherhood and Family Well-being

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  1. Men’s Role in Safe Motherhood and Family Well-being World Health Organization

  2. Lack of Progress:Can Male Involvement Help? • During first 10-year Safe Motherhood Initiative, no reduction in annual number of maternal deaths related to pregnancy • Interventions rarely tried to counsel male partners of pregnant women • A few studies have shown promise, but more research is needed

  3. Causes of Maternal Deaths Indirect causes (20%) Severe bleeding(25%) Other direct causes (8%) Infection (15%) Unsafe abortion (12%) Obstructedlabor (8%) Eclampsia (12%) Source: Maternal Health around the World, WHO and World Bank, 1997.

  4. Consequences of Maternal Morbidity Effects of morbidity on women and families: • Physical disability • Psychological trauma • Social isolation • Infertility • Increased caregiving responsibilities • Reduced economic productivity

  5. Underlying Gender Inequity U.S. Agency for International Development

  6. Safe Motherhood: Human Rights and Social Justice Women have limited: • Exposure to information about danger signs during pregnancy/delivery • Power in decision-making • Access to education • Financial resources and mobility Source: Safe Motherhood Interagency Group Fact Sheet, 1998.

  7. Why Involve Men? • Men are key decision-makers regarding pregnancy and childbirth • Men have generally not been involved in trying to make pregnancy and childbirth safer

  8. Safe Motherhood:Male Involvement • Safeguarding women’s health during pregnancy – ante-natal care and nutrition • Arranging for skilled care during delivery L. Rigsby Source: Drennan, Popul Rep 1998;J(46).

  9. Men Often Control Decisions • Respond to complications • Seek medical help • Pay for transport • Allocate family and community resources US Agency for International Development Source: Drennan, Popul Rep 1998;J(46).

  10. Helping after baby is born Male Involvement in the Reproductive Process Participating in birthing process Mexfam United Nations

  11. How Do Men LearnTo Be Fathers? B. Genier/World Health Organization

  12. Father: Provider Salud y Genero/Coriac

  13. Father: Entertainer, Emotionally Close Salud y Genero/Coriac Salud y Genero/Coriac

  14. Father: Discipline, Authority, Violence “Don’t beat me, daddy.” Salud y Genero/Coriac

  15. Father: Absent or Dead “Heaven for fathers” Salud y Genero/Coriac

  16. Father: Household Worker B. Thomas/WHO/UNICEF

  17. Traditional Masculinity Limits the Role of Fathers • Mostly, father is considered only a provider and authorityfigure • Lack of alternative models – “This is what my father taught me” • Limited cultural acceptability of men’s emotional expression and involvement • Little opportunity to learn to care for others

  18. Research Needed on Benefits of Fathering Involving men in fathering may lead to: • Better communication, stronger bonding between couples and among family • Better role modeling for children • Increased commitment to contraceptive use and practice of prevention behaviors • Increased support during pregnancy • Reduced violence in the home

  19. Initial Lessons Learned • Egypt Post-abortion Care Study • Women whose husbands were counseled had better outcomes • India Pre-natal Care Study • Involving men in pre-natal care increased their involvement in their wives’ and children’s health care • Jamaica Teenage Father Study • Reaching out to “baby fathers” helped young men stay involved with their child

  20. Promising Research Efforts • Midwives in Mexico are training men as community health workers to teach other men about reproductive health (MacArthur Foundation) • Projects in 7 countries are focusing on improving communication and joint decision-making between men and women about reproductive health (PAHO)

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