Immigrant men 's perceptions and experiences of accompanying their partner for contraceptive counselling provided by midwives in Sweden- a qualitative study

• Published in: PloS one 2024-01, Vol.19 (1), p.e0295796-e0295796
• Main Authors: Kolak, Mia, Agardh, Anette, Rubertsson, Christine, Hansson, Stefan R, Ekstrand Ragnar, Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biology and Life Sciences; Birth control; Child; Children; Communication; Content analysis; Contraceptive Agents; Contraceptives; Counseling; Data interpretation; Emigrants and Immigrants; Engineering and Technology; Evaluation; Family planning; Family Planning Services; Female; Health aspects; Health care; Health care reform; Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy; Health Sciences; Humans; Husband and wife; Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi; Hälsovetenskap; Immigrants; Male; Maternal & child health; Maternal health services; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical law; Medical policy; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicine and Health Sciences; Men; Midwifery; Midwives; People and places; Pregnancy; Qualitative analysis; Qualitative Research; Reproductive health; Reproductive rights; Sexual health; Social aspects; Social Sciences; Sweden; Women
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295796

Male involvement in maternal health care has proven to be beneficial for improving maternal and child health and is often crucial in areas of family planning and contraceptive use. However, compared to male involvement in maternal health care, male involvement in contraceptive counselling is complex and controversial and thus faces certain challenges. Immigrant men in Sweden are often accompanying their partner for contraceptive counselling. Little is known about their presence and role. To explore how immigrant men from the Middle East and Afghanistan perceive and experience accompanying their partner for contraceptive counselling provided by midwives in Sweden. Inductive qualitative content analysis guided the interpretation of data based on 21 individual in-depth interviews. Balancing conflicting values and norms about sexual and reproductive health and rights including family planning was challenging and confusing when living in Sweden. Contraceptive counselling was perceived as a joint visit, and men were often acting as decision makers. The midwife's role as a contraceptive counsellor was perceived as trusted, but knowledge was lacking about the Swedish midwifery model and the Swedish healthcare system. Providers' ways of communicating sensitive information were crucial. Without marriage contraceptive counselling was unthinkable. Highlighting male engagement and including men's sexual and reproductive health at policy levels are necessary for improving women's sexual and reproductive health and rights. Additional and new ways of contraceptive counselling and midwifery services, such as outreach work and joint visits, are needed in order to reach both men and women.