ABSTRACT

There are enormous benefits accruing from spousal support during childbirth including emotional comfort, improved family communication, bonding, pain relief without analgesia and positive birth experience. Unfortunately, in low income countries like Kenya which are known to be patriarchal male dominated societies where pregnancy and child birth is regarded as exclusively women’s affairs, partner participation in labor and delivery remains acutely low. The purpose of this study was to establish determinants of partner participation in labour and delivery at Nyeri County Referral Hospital. The objectives of the study were to find out the influence of knowledge of partner participation program, to assess the influence of socio-cultural factors on partner participation in labour and delivery and to determine the influence of health system factors on partner participation in labour and delivery at Nyeri County Referral Hospital. The study used the analytical cross-sectional design. The study was conducted in Nyeri county Referral hospital. The study targeted male partners of post-natal women in the postnatal ward at Nyeri county Referral hospital. A total of 189 men were purposefully sampled and a researcher administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive methods such as frequency distribution, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to summarize the data. Chi-square tests were used to asses relationships between the independent variables (knowledge, socio-cultural factors and health system factors) and the dependent variable (partner participation in labor and delivery). Statistical package  for social sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. Significance was judged at p<.05 level. The findings were presented using tables and figures. There was a significant relationship (χ2=55.056, df=16, p=0.000) between ever hearing about partner participation program and partner participation in labour and delivery. There was a significant relationship (χ2=41.150, df=16, p=0.001) between knowledge of danger signs of pregnancy and partner participation in labour and delivery. There was also a  significant relationship (χ2=41.769, df=16, p=0.000) between Awareness of Benefits of partner participation in labour and delivery and partner participation in labour and delivery. Among the socio-cultural factors gender norms (χ2=31.726, df=16, p=0.011) and societal expectations (χ2=60.167, df=16, p=0.000) were significant. Provision of information (χ2=60.194, df=16, p=0.000) and staff capacity (χ2=19.084, df=16, p=0.000) were significant among the health system factors. The study concluded that a concert of knowledge, socio-cultural and health system factors influence partner participation in labour and delivery. The study recommended health education efforts be stepped up to enhance the awareness of men on the partner participation program and benefits of spousal participation. It was also recommended that health workers especially midwives should also be trained to enhance their communication skills and now how of how to handle and address men in the delivery room so that they feel welcome.