Male partner antenatal clinic attendance is associated with increased uptake of maternal health services and infant BCG immunization: a national survey in Kenya

BACKGROUND: Male partner antenatal clinic (ANC) attendance may improve maternal uptake of maternal child health (MCH) services. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of mother-infant pairs attending week-6 or month-9 infant immunizations at 120 high-volume MCH clinics throughout Kenya. Clinics were selected using probability proportionate to size sampling. Women were interviewed using structured questionnaires and clinical data was verified using MCH booklets. Among married women, survey-weighted logistic regression models accounting for clinic-level clustering were used to compare outcomes by male ANC attendance and to identify its correlates. RESULTS: Among 2521 women attending MCH clinics and had information on male partner ANC attendance, 2141 (90%) were married of whom 806 (35%) had male partners that attended ANC. Among married women, male partner ANC attendance was more frequent among women with higher education, women who requested their partners to attend ANC, had male partners with higher education, did not report partner violence, and had disclosed their HIV status (p < 0·001 for each). Additionally, male ANC attendance was associated with higher uptake of ANC visits [adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1·67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·36–2·05,], skilled delivery (AOR = 2·00, 95% CI 1·51–2·64), exclusive breastfeeding (AOR = 1·70, 95% CI 1·00–2·91), infant Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) immunization (AOR = 3·59, 95% CI 1·00–12·88), and among HIV-infected women, antiretroviral drugs (aOR = 6·16, 95% CI 1·26–30·41). CONCLUSION: Involving male partners in MCH activities amplifies benefits of MCH services by engaging partner support for maternal uptake of services.