Pregnant women Perceived Paternal Emotional feeling in his wife Index Pregnancy and its correlates in Ethiopia; Community based Longitudinal Survey: A Multinomial Logistics Regression Analysis
Authors: Damtew Solomon Abrha , Fentaye Fitsum Taruku , Atinafu Niguse Tadele , G/Michael Hailay , Tesfaye Tariku , Gidey Mahari Yihdego , Getachew Desalegn , Yineda Seifu , Kassa Bezwork Ayele , Sene Kelemua Mengesha , Duguma Gelane , Bati Temesgen , Binu Wakgari , Haile Dereje , Awoke Tesfamichael , Amogne Ayanaw , Dejene Tariku , Seme Assefa , Shiferaw Solomon 
Published: April 2024

Background: Male dominance decision making as far sexual and reproductive health concerned is common in low and middle income countries since it is socially constructed and culturally accepted. Intention to conceive is an integral part of Reproductive Health (RH) right and can be consider as decision making on fertility. However, in low and middle income countries including Ethiopia where male take the lead in every decision making process for the family ranging from household level decision including to determine the number of children that the family should possess to women and new born RH rights and RH health service use. In such a scenario men are less likely for their say to be heard, hence, this study aimed at determining the level of paternal emotional feeling when learned their index pregnancy and its correlates so as to avail actionable evidence for the ministry and partners working on reproductive and women health.
Methods: This study used PMA cohort 1 baseline data which enrolled and collected data from currently pregnant women. Frequency was computed to describe the study participant’s characteristics. Multinomial logistics regression was employed to identify correlates that pregnant women perceived that their husband felt very/sort of unhappy/mixed feeling, sort of happy and very happy. Results were presented in the form percentages and odds ratio with 95% Confidence Intervals. Candidate variables were selected using p-value of0.25. Statistical significance was declared at p-value of 0.05.
Result: Nearly 1/3 (35.40%; 33.00%, 37.87%) and half (49.03%; 46.48%, 51.6%) of the pregnant women perceived that their husbands and/or partner felt sort of happy and very happy respectively when they learned their wife´s index pregnancy. Pregnant women perceived that closer to 1 in 6 of their husbands/partners specifically 15.57%: (13.72%, 17.62%) felt happy or sort of unhappy or very unhappy or felt mixed feeling when learned their wife´s index pregnancy.
Older pregnant women age those who intended to have another child had increased likelihood to perceive their husband/partner as very happy when they learned the index pregnancy. On the contrary, those with higher birth order with 3 to 12 children, who no more need another child, those living as a partner and residing Addis Ababa and SNNPR had lower likelihood to perceive their husband/partner as very happy when they learned their wife´s index pregnancy. On the other hand, those who wanted to have another had reported higher likelihood to perceive their husband/partner as sort of happy, while those with higher birth order, those who did not wanted an additional child those who reside in Oromiya and those who desired place of delivery is health facility had lower their perceived likelihood.
Conclusion: Only half pregnant women perceived their husband felt happy about their index pregnancy calls up on improving couple commination, and discussion on the spacing and timing of pregnancy as well as to work on improving birth preparedness and complication readiness as the same time creating awareness on preconception care packages and to avail the preconception care service which are critical cares before pregnancy, between pregnancies and as a life course approach. These activities and efforts need to be age and region specific. The finding of the study implied that the ministry and relevant partners need to work strategically on male involvement in pregnancy, child birth and fertility desire along with emotional care and support.