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Involving Men in Reproductive and Fertility Issues: Insights from Punjab

Author

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  • Iram Kamran
  • Mumraiz Khan
  • Zeba Tasneem

Abstract

Drawing on three sources, a 2013 qualitative study in four districts of Punjab province; a targeted analysis of the baseline and end line surveys of the Family Advancement for Life and Health (FALAH 2007-2012) project; and the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS) of 1990-1991 and of 2006-2007, this study explores Pakistani (especially Punjabi) couples' dynamics during their decision processes on fertility intentions and practices, along with community perceptions of male-focused interventions as well as men's suggestions for future intervention strategies. It finds that men in Punjab seem now more concerned about their fertility intentions and practices due to the financial challenges of raising large families. This concern has not only increased spousal communication about family size and contraceptive use but has also encouraged Punjabi men to practice family planning. Most men now realize that either they or their wives should use family planning. It is the next step, however, of translating intention into practice, which is a challenge. Supply-side issues, including absence or paucity of family planning services as well as poor quality of services (including service providers' lack of capability to manage side effects) are the main factors hindering couples' adoption of family planning. Perceived or experienced side effects of contraceptive methods are other factors. Men's positive attitudes and their readiness to be involved in family planning programs suggest that the efforts of convincing men to use contraceptives have been effective and this it is now time for direct reproductive health interventions for men in Punjab. Yet heavy spending on media campaigns may not be as effective as interpersonal interventions. A focused effort to mobilize men through male-specific interventions is likely to increase the demand for contraceptives. These interventions have to be backed up by improved supply of contraceptives and availability of family planning services in accessible facilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Iram Kamran & Mumraiz Khan & Zeba Tasneem, 2014. "Involving Men in Reproductive and Fertility Issues: Insights from Punjab," Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) Discussion Paper Series 85062, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:hnpdps:85062
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    Keywords

    abortion; abortions; access to contraceptives; access to information; aged; antenatal care; availability of family planning; barriers to family planning; behavior change; Birth Spacing; births; both sexes; child bearing; child health; Child rearing; childbirth; communication efforts; Community Health; Community Health Workers; condoms; contraception; contraceptive knowledge; contraceptive method; contraceptive methods; contraceptive practices; contraceptive prevalence; contraceptive supply; contraceptive use; contraceptives; demand for contraceptives; diseases; economic resources; equality; Ethical Considerations; exercises; family planning; Family Planning Focus; family planning methods; family planning program; family planning programs; family planning services; family planning use; family size; Family Welfare; female; female sterilization; females; FERTILITY; fertility attitudes; fertility behavior; fertility transition; fewer children; first child; first pregnancy; FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS; forms of contraception; Gender; Gender Differences; girls; health facilities; Health Policy; Health Workers; home; hospital; hospitals; household level; household responsibilities; houses; Human Development; husband; husbands; ideal family size; ideal number of children; immunizations; importance of family planning; informed consent; injectable contraceptives; International Conference on Population; interpersonal communication; intervention; intrauterine contraceptive devices; knowledge of family planning; lack of knowledge; large families; large number of people; laws; level of fertility; limited resources; limiting family size; Local community; low contraceptive prevalence; male health; male health workers; male involvement; marital status; marketing; mass media; medicines; menstrual cycle; menstrual problems; minority; modern contraceptive methods; mother; mothers; need for family planning; newborns; no more children; number of children; number of couples; number of households; Nutrition; obesity; old age; opposite sex; Parents; patient; polio; Population and Development; Population Council; population growth; population growth rate; Population Studies; progress; Public Health; purchasing power; quality of services; radio; Religious Leaders; replacement level; reproductive age; reproductive behavior; reproductive decision; reproductive desires; reproductive goals; reproductive health; reproductive health care; reproductive health interventions; reproductive intentions; reproductive lives; reproductive patterns; respect; rural areas; rural communities; service providers; sex; Sharia; small families; social acceptability; social norms; Social pressure; social science; spouse; spouses; status of women; sterilization; supply of contraceptives; television; TV; unwanted children; unwanted pregnancies; urban areas; urban centers; urban community; use of contraception; use of contraceptives; wife; will; wives; woman;
    All these keywords.

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