Men looking into a ‘woman’s world’: The views of urban men involved in antenatal services at a public hospital in Ghana

Background. In Africa, including Ghana, pregnancy and maternal care are construed as belonging to a ‘woman’s world’, with little or no participation from men. Aim. The purpose of this study was to explore the views of urban men involved in antenatal services at a public hospital in Ghana. Method. Ten men who participated in routine antenatal care (ANC) with their spouses were recruited at the antenatal clinic for this qualitative exploratory descriptive study. Participants were either approached individually by the researcher, directed by the midwives at the clinic to see the researcher, or through an announcement at the clinic requesting voluntary participation in the study. An in-depth semi-structured interview guide was implemented after receiving ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and Ghana Health Services Ethical Review Committee. All the men signed a consent form prior to the interview. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Data were analysed using content analysis as described by Miles and Huberman (1994). Findings. Two main themes emerged from the findings: contextual willingness, and men’s perception of ANC. ANC was referred to as a ‘woman’s world’ because activities were women-orientated. The men were enthused with the initiative of fast services for couple attendance and believed their presence at the clinic supported and ensured the wellbeing of women. However, most men could only attend the clinics if granted time out from their employers. Conclusion. Creating awareness among men in Ghana will encourage more men to participate in ANC with their spouses. Policy development on male involvement is key to improving maternal health in Ghana. Implications. More men need to be engaged in ANC to ensure safe motherhood. This calls for appropriate and coordinated innovations by all stakeholders of health to involve men in ANC.