Male partners’ views of involvement in maternal healthcare services at Makhado Municipality clinics, Limpopo Province, South Africa

BACKGROUND: Male partners have a strong influence on pregnant partners’ health and their access to care. Their involvement is critical in the delivery and uptake of maternal healthcare services and improving maternal and child health outcomes. AIM: The study sought to determine male partners’ views on their involvement in maternal healthcare services. SETTING: The Makhado Municipality’s Kutama, Madombidzha and Vleifontein clinics. METHODS: A qualitative study design, which is exploratory, descriptive and contextual in nature, was used. The population comprised 15 men whose partners had been pregnant within the last 2 years. A non-probability, purposive sampling procedure was used. Data were collected via in-depth individual interviews using a voice recorder and an interview schedule guide. Tesch’s open coding method was used to analyse data. RESULTS: The findings revealed one major theme, namely that maternal health issues are viewed as a woman’sdomain; and three sub-themes: culture and participation in childbirth, male partners’ employment status, and male partners’ unwillingness to participate in maternal health issues. CONCLUSIONS: The involvement of male partners in maternal healthcare services, and further research in promoting this activity, should be proposedto policymakers.