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Husbands and maternal health matters in rural Guatemala: wives' reports on their spouses' involvement in pregnancy and birth

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  • Carter, Marion

Abstract

This paper explores the content, prevalence, and determinants of husbands' involvement in two aspects of their wives' maternal health: (1) providing advice and care during pregnancy and (2) attending birth. Using primarily women's reports of their spouses' involvement taken from qualitative and survey data from a sample of rural Guatemalan households, I find that husband participation is relatively high compared to some expectations and that the dynamics of male involvement differ between the two aspects. The analysis of receiving advice or care from husbands during pregnancy, an analysis done only among women who experienced a complication during pregnancy, suggests that the type of prenatal care sought and the quality of the familial and marital relationships are important factors. On the other hand, husbands' attendance at birth seems driven more by men's availability and access to birth. Together, the data show that "male involvement" is not a singular behavior and point to ways to conceptualize its complexity.

Suggested Citation

  • Carter, Marion, 2002. "Husbands and maternal health matters in rural Guatemala: wives' reports on their spouses' involvement in pregnancy and birth," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(3), pages 437-450, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:55:y:2002:i:3:p:437-450
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Uddin, Jalal & Pulok, Mohammad Habibullah & Sabah, Md. Nasim-Us, 2015. "Couple’s reports of household decision-making, unmet need for contraception, and unintended pregnancy in Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 63757, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Mullany, Britta C. & Hindin, Michelle J. & Becker, Stan, 2005. "Can women's autonomy impede male involvement in pregnancy health in Katmandu, Nepal?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(9), pages 1993-2006, November.
    3. Becker, Stan & Fonseca-Becker, Fannie & Schenck-Yglesias, Catherine, 2006. "Husbands' and wives' reports of women's decision-making power in Western Guatemala and their effects on preventive health behaviors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(9), pages 2313-2326, May.
    4. Ganle, John Kuumuori & Dery, Isaac & Manu, Abubakar A. & Obeng, Bernard, 2016. "‘If I go with him, I can't talk with other women’: Understanding women's resistance to, and acceptance of, men's involvement in maternal and child healthcare in northern Ghana," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 195-204.
    5. Kyi Mar Wai & Akira Shibanuma & Nwe Nwe Oo & Toki Jennifer Fillman & Yu Mon Saw & Masamine Jimba, 2015. "Are Husbands Involving in Their Spouses’ Utilization of Maternal Care Services?: A Cross-Sectional Study in Yangon, Myanmar," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Comrie-Thomson, Liz & Gopal, Prerna & Eddy, Katherine & Baguiya, Adama & Gerlach, Nina & Sauvé, Caroline & Portela, Anayda, 2021. "How do women, men, and health providers perceive interventions to influence men's engagement in maternal and newborn health? A qualitative evidence synthesis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    7. Thapa, Deependra Kaji & Niehof, Anke, 2013. "Women's autonomy and husbands' involvement in maternal health care in Nepal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 1-10.
    8. Story, William T. & Burgard, Sarah A., 2012. "Couples’ reports of household decision-making and the utilization of maternal health services in Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2403-2411.

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