An examination of the barriers to and benefits from collaborative couple contraceptive use in Rwanda

BACKGROUND: Supportive male involvement is strongly correlated with contraceptive use. In Rwanda, where the contraceptive prevalence rate among married women increased from 17 to 52% from 2005 to 2010, and stagnated at 53% in 2015, understanding the role of male partners in collaborative couple contraceptive use can help inform programs designed to further increase the use of contraception in Rwanda. METHODS: This study utilized qualitative methods in 2018, specifically 32 in-depth interviewers with mostly current users of modern contraceptive methods and eight focus group discussions with family planning providers—both family planning nurses and community health workers (CHWs). Respondents were from Musanze and Nyamasheke Districts, the districts with the highest and lowest modern contraceptive use, respectively, to explore the role of couple collaboration in family planning use in Rwanda. Data were analyzed using the thematic content approach in Atlas.ti (8). RESULTS: Findings demonstrate that some men are opposed to use of male methods of contraception, and some are opposed to any contraceptive use, which can lead to covert use. Women and providers prefer collaborative couple contraceptive use—as a result, providers advocate for and encourage male partner participation in contraceptive use. Women are most often burdened with seeking out information, initiating discussions, and sharing information discovered about contraceptive use with partners. Decision-making about contraceptive use, once discussed, can be collaborative and motivated by financial considerations. When couple contraceptive use is collaborative, benefits range from marital harmony to husband’s support of sustained use through reminders about appointments, joint counseling, and support in managing side effects. CONCLUSION: Family planning providers at the community and clinic levels encourage collaborative contraceptive use among couples and some Rwandan couples communicate well about family planning use. Despite the positives, women are expected to source family planning information, share that information with their male partners, seek out family planning services, and use family planning. If more Rwandan male partners accepted use, used male methods of contraception, and participated even more in the work it takes to use family planning, the potential for sustained, and even enhanced, contraceptive use in Rwanda could be realized.