Level of Males' Participation during Perinatal Period in Rural Areas of District Layyah.

BACKGROUND Although pregnancy is not a disease but life partner and other family members must realize distress and fatigue caused by the pregnancy to pregnant women. Husbands play a very important role in ensuring healthy pregnancy outcomes. Males are mainly responsible in taking decision regarding health seeking of pregnant women in rural areas of Pakistan. This study aimed to explore the level of males' participation during perinatal period and to assess their knowledge about danger signs of perinatal period in rural areas of District Layyah, South Punjab. METHODS A community based cross sectional study on pregnant women and their husbands was undertaken in one union council (UC) of district Layyah. 369 couples were selected using proportionate simple random sampling technique. Three hundred and thirty-five agreed and filled the complete questionnaire. Couples having pregnancy or delivery during last one year were included in the study. Women who were divorced, separated or living away from their spouses were excluded. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire adopted from a Nigerian study was translated into Urdu and used to collect data via home visiting. Ethical approval was taken from IRB and written informed consent from the participants. Data was entered and analysed in SPSS V.16. RESULTS Males' level of participation in domestic chores was 326 out of 335 (97.31%) and their overall level of knowledge regarding danger signs of pregnancy was 135 out of 335 (40.30%).Economic status (Chi square 6.23, p-value 0.045) and husband educated more than wife (Chi square 10.20, p-value 0.006) were significantly associated with level of knowledge regarding danger signs of pregnancy. Whereas, parity was (Fisher exact test 8.07, p-value 0.017) significantly associated with level of males' participation in domestic chores. CONCLUSION Husbands have high level of participation in domestic chores but moderate level of knowledge regarding danger signs of perinatal period. Males must be educated about danger signs of perinatal period as their active narticination can lead to healthy outcome of pregnancy.