Male Partners` Involvement in Antenatal Care and its Associated Factors: A Community-based Cross-sectional study, Westcentral Ethiopia

Abstract Background Male partner involvement in antenatal care has been recognized as a key factor in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. However, little attention has been given to male partners’ involvement in maternity care, particularly in developing countries. Objective This study aimed to assess male partners’ involvement in antenatal care and its associated factors among male partners whose wives gave birth within the last one-year in Bichena town, Westcentral, Ethiopia, 2019. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 1 to 15/2019, in Bichena town, among 406 male partners. The data was collected by a simple random sampling technique and analyzed using the Statistical Package of the Social Science 23.0 version. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio with a confidence interval of 95% and a P-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Frequency tables, figures, and descriptive summaries were used to describe the study variables. Results In this study, 53.4% [95% CI: 48.3–58.1%] of male partners` were involved in antenatal care. The age group of 20–29 years [AOR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.04–4.38], having primary, secondary, and diploma and above educational level [AOR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.02–4.07], [AOR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.49–6.11] and [AOR = 4.03, 95% CI = 2.06–7.89] respectively, ≤ 10 years marriage length [AOR = 2.92, 95% CI = 1.46–5.87], good knowledge of the services provided in antenatal care visits [AOR = 2.68, 95%, CI = 1.62–4.42], good awareness of the danger signs of pregnancy [AOR = 1.77, 95 CI = 1.10–2.85], favorable attitude towards antenatal care visit [AOR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.64–4.19], travel less than 15 minutes to reach a nearby health facility [AOR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.54–7.65] and making decision together to seek care in health facility [AOR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.19–5.03] were associated with male partners involvement in antenatal care. Conclusions Male partners' involvement in antenatal care was encouraging in the study area compared to previous studies done in Ethiopia. We suggest strengthening awareness creation among male partners on their shared responsibility during pregnancy. Male partners should be invited to attend the antenatal care and making the antenatal care visiting times flexible is also needed.