Who does what? Reproductive responsibilities between heterosexual partners

• Published in: Culture, health & sexuality health & sexuality, 2023-12, Vol.25 (12), p.1640-1658
• Main Authors: Caddy, Cassandra, Temple-Smith, Meredith, Coombe, Jacqueline
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abortion; Autonomy; Birth control; Clinical decision making; Contraception; Decision making; Family planning; Family Planning Services; Female; Fertility; Gender roles; Health care expenditures; Health information; Health services; Heterosexuality; Humans; Life course; Life events; Low income groups; Male; masculinity; Men; Men - psychology; Pregnancy; pregnancy prevention; Prevention; Reproduction; Reproductive health; Reproductive responsibility; Sexual behavior; Sexual health; Sexual intercourse; Side effects; Women
• ISSN: 1369-1058; 1464-5351
• DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2023.2173800

Managing fertility and sexual and reproductive health across the life course is associated with numerous responsibilities disproportionately experienced by women. This extends beyond dealing with the physical side effects of contraception and can include the emotional burden of planning conception and the financial cost of accessing health services. This scoping review aimed to map how reproductive responsibilities were defined and negotiated (if at all) between heterosexual casual and long-term partners during any reproductive life event. Original research in high-income countries published from 2015 onwards was sourced from Medline (Ovid), CINAHL and Scopus. In studies that focused on pregnancy prevention and abortion decision making, men felt conflict in their desire to be actively engaged while not wanting to impede their partner's agency and bodily autonomy. Studies identified multiple barriers to engaging in reproductive work including the lack of acceptable male-controlled contraception, poor sexual health knowledge, financial constraints, and the feminisation of family planning services. Traditional gender roles further shaped men's involvement in both pregnancy prevention and conception work. Despite this, studies reveal nuanced ways of sharing responsibilities - such as companionship during birth and abortion, ensuring contraception is used correctly during intercourse, and sharing the costs of reproductive health care.