TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of including husbands in antenatal health education services on maternal health practices in urban Nepal
T2 - Results from a randomized controlled trial
AU - Mullany, Britta C.
AU - Becker, S.
AU - Hindin, M. J.
N1 - Funding Information:
well as Dr Kasturi Malla and the local research assistants in Kathmandu, Nepal. We also express our gratitude toward the participants of the Male Involvement in ANC study. This study was made possible through a Hopkins Population Center Dissertation Fieldwork Grant, awarded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation, and a grant awarded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health.
PY - 2007/4
Y1 - 2007/4
N2 - Observational studies suggest that including men in reproductive health interventions can enhance positive health outcomes. A randomized controlled trial was designed to test the impact of involving male partners in antenatal health education on maternal health care utilization and birth preparedness in urban Nepal. In total, 442 women seeking antenatal services during second trimester of pregnancy were randomized into three groups: women who received education with their husbands, women who received education alone and women who received no education. The education intervention consisted of two 35-min health education sessions. Women were followed until after delivery. Women who received education with husbands were more likely to attend a post-partum visit than women who received education alone [RR = 1.25, 95% CI = (1.01, 1.54)] or no education [RR = 1.29, 95% CI = (1.04, 1.60)]. Women who received education with their husbands were also nearly twice as likely as control group women to report making >3 birth preparations [RR = 1.99, 95% CI = (1.10, 3.59)]. Study groups were similar with respect to attending the recommended number of antenatal care checkups, delivering in a health institution or having a skilled provider at birth. These data provide evidence that educating pregnant women and their male partners yields a greater net impact on maternal health behaviors compared with educating women alone.
AB - Observational studies suggest that including men in reproductive health interventions can enhance positive health outcomes. A randomized controlled trial was designed to test the impact of involving male partners in antenatal health education on maternal health care utilization and birth preparedness in urban Nepal. In total, 442 women seeking antenatal services during second trimester of pregnancy were randomized into three groups: women who received education with their husbands, women who received education alone and women who received no education. The education intervention consisted of two 35-min health education sessions. Women were followed until after delivery. Women who received education with husbands were more likely to attend a post-partum visit than women who received education alone [RR = 1.25, 95% CI = (1.01, 1.54)] or no education [RR = 1.29, 95% CI = (1.04, 1.60)]. Women who received education with their husbands were also nearly twice as likely as control group women to report making >3 birth preparations [RR = 1.99, 95% CI = (1.10, 3.59)]. Study groups were similar with respect to attending the recommended number of antenatal care checkups, delivering in a health institution or having a skilled provider at birth. These data provide evidence that educating pregnant women and their male partners yields a greater net impact on maternal health behaviors compared with educating women alone.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33947316269&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33947316269&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/her/cyl060
DO - 10.1093/her/cyl060
M3 - Article
C2 - 16855015
AN - SCOPUS:33947316269
SN - 0268-1153
VL - 22
SP - 166
EP - 176
JO - Health education research
JF - Health education research
IS - 2
ER -