Male Partner Involvement in Antenatal Care: Narratives from Key Stakeholders in the Community-Based Health Planning and Services Zones in Northern Ghana

Background: In Northern Ghana, men are heads and breadwinners of their families and therefore, have a great influence on the health decision-making process. However, maternal health has largely been viewed as a woman’s domain. Male participation in maternal health services such as antenatal care is vital to improve the health outcomes of mothers and children. Traditional beliefs and societal views on gender roles influence men’s willingness to participate in maternal health services. Understanding these views would enable the designing and implementation of male-targeted interventions to increase the rate of male participation in antenatal care. Therefore, this study aimed to explore community members’ knowledge and perceptions of male involvement in antenatal care and the roles of health professionals in encouraging male participation in maternal health services. Methods This was a qualitative exploratory study conducted in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of Northern Ghana. Two Community-based Health Planning and Services zones were randomly selected for the qualitative interviews. Four focus group discussions and eight in-depth interviews were conducted among opinion leaders and healthcare workers. Data were obtained through audio recordings which were further transcribed and imported into the Dedoose 8 statistical software for thematic analysis. Results Most community members knew what the antenatal care process entailed and understood its importance in improving pregnancy and birthing outcomes. However, the dismissive attitude of community members toward men who engage in maternal health services, the lack of detailed written policies, and financial constraints were the major reasons for men’s reluctance to participate in antenatal care. Men reported being more open to attending antenatal care visits with their partners if given the appropriate education by health professionals and support from government agencies. While health professionals believe their role is to provide health information and services to the people, they also advocate for the use of underexplored public health engagement approaches to facilitate men’s involvement in maternal health services. Conclusion The results of this study showed that male involvement in antenatal care is suboptimal in Northern Ghana. Despite the individual roles across the different stakeholder groups, a collective effort is required to create avenues for improved health education, increased community sensitization through peer mentorship programs, a reward-based incentive system, and increased government support to ensure the proactive involvement of men in maternal health.