Abstract: (Withdrawn) An Examination of Factors Influencing Partner Attendance in Antenatal Care Utilizing a Gender-Transformative Framework (Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference - Social Work Science and Complex Problems: Battling Inequities + Building Solutions)
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(Withdrawn) An Examination of Factors Influencing Partner Attendance in Antenatal Care Utilizing a Gender-Transformative Framework

Schedule:
Friday, January 13, 2023
South Mountain, 2nd Level (Sheraton Phoenix Downtown)
* noted as presenting author
Pooja Paul, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Shanta Pandey, PhD, Professor, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Background and Purpose: There is a growing body of literature supporting the crucial role of partner involvement in antenatal care (or prenatal care) and its implications for maternal and child health outcomes. Despite this, limited studies have explored the factors influencing male partner attendance in antenatal care. In this study, we used nationally representative data from India to examine levels of male partner attendance in antenatal care and the factors that determine partner involvement.

Methods: Data were used from two rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS- 3 and NFHS-4) conducted in 2005-06 and 2015-16 respectively. Weighted (probability weights) descriptive statistics were conducted to summarize the levels of male partner attendance in antenatal care. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to estimate the factors influencing male partner attendance.

Results: Based on the study results, in 2015, about 86% women reported that they had attended at least one antenatal care contact during their pregnancy; of these women, about 85% reported that their male partners had accompanied them to antenatal care contacts. Male respondent’s level of education, household wealth, knowledge of pregnancy-related complications, male respondent’s age at marriage, region and women’s level of autonomy emerged as significant predictors of male partner attendance in antenatal care.

Conclusions and Implications: The results of this study provide insights into the multiple influences that shape male partners’ involvement in maternal care. These results are useful to inform interventions that are focused on engaging with male partners, both as individuals as well as being situated within the family/household and community. Social workers and community health workers can be instrumental to implementing community-outreach interventions that underscore the need to view men not just as equal and responsible partners in maternal care, but also as active agents of change with the potential to transform inequitable gender norms and practices.

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