Male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness for emergency referral at Sodo town of Wolaita zone, South Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: Preventable maternal mortality remains a huge burden more especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The involvement of male partner during pregnancy and its complication helps an expectant mother to make timely decisions to avoid delays that brings about complications that could result in morbidity or mortality. METHODS: Institution based cross sectional study was conducted in 2017, at Sodo Town of Wolaita Zone among mothers who came to hospital and admitted to MCH department due to emergency obstetric referral. Data were collected using pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The collected data entered by Epi data, cleaned and analyzed by using SPSS for windows version 23.0. A descriptive analysis was done using frequency, mean, quartile and standard deviation. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was carried out to identify the associated factors. Level of statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05. Finally the results of Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were presented in crude and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals. RESULT: Data were obtained from 233 women, with a response rate of 100%. The prevalence of male partner’s involvement in birth preparedness and complication redness for emergency referral in this study was 30.9%. After adjusting for the effect of confounding variables using multivariable logistic regression, variables like distance of health facility (AOR = 0.29, 95%CI = 0.12, 0.72), having ANC follow-up (AOR = 2.9, 95%CI = 1.52–5.51) and experience of obstetric complication (AOR = 1.79, 95%CI = 1.06–3.04) have statistically significant association with male partner’s involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness for obstetric referral. CONCLUSION: In general, male partner’s involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness for obstetric referral in the study area was low. Antenatal care attending and experiencing of obstetric complication were factors determining male partner’s involvement in complication readiness. Health care professionals should involve male partners to attend ANC clinic at each stage and arrange special antenatal care conferences which may increase awareness and practice about complication readiness and plan.