Community Acceptance Towards Male Midwives in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, 2015/16

Abstract

Cognizant to the higher maternal mortality ratio, limited access of maternal health services and scarcity of trained health professionals in developing countries including Ethiopia, unwilling to use the existing health services considering the sex of the healthcare providers poses additional challenge for maternity care. Though remained uncovered, pregnant women’s acceptance towards male midwife becomes more awful for uptake of the services provided by the health system. Hence, the current study was aimed to assess pregnant women’s acceptance for male midwife providing maternity care in Tigray region, Ethiopia.

A community-based correctional study containing mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) designs were conducted from November 1–29, 2015.

Multistage sampling was employed to select 605 study participants. Interviewer administered pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Trained data collectors approached the pregnant women at their home. Data were entered into EPI data version 3.1 and imported into SPSS Ver. 20 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify variables associated with acceptance of male midwives. Adjusted odds ratio at 95% confidence interval was reported and statistically significant association was declared at p-value of less than 0.05 as cutoff point.

About 605 respondents participated in the study. Mean age of the respondents was 28.96 (SD= 6.3) years. Majority, 496 (82%) of the respondents reported that they would accept male midwife to provide them maternity care. Despite of this, substantial proportion of the pregnant women reported incompatibility concerns with their culture (78.2%) and religion (80%) for male midwife attendance for maternity care. The probability of accepting male midwife was higher likely among pregnant women who attained lower education (AOR=2.679, 95%CI= [1.453, 4.950]), currently unmarried (AOR=3.701, 95%CI= [1.798, 8.019]), and those who perceived their culture approval (AOR= 3.085, 95%CI, [1.38-6.86]). 

Despite pregnant women in Tigray tend to accept maternity assistant from a male midwife, embarrassment and perception of possible disapprovals from the religious and cultural aspects were reported. Involvement of cultural and religious leaders in strengthening mass awareness creation and information education and communication (IEC) were recommended.

Keywords: Reproductive health, maternal mortality ratio, maternal health services, statistical reports

Cite this Article

Tsige Araya, Haftom G/hiwot, Solomon W/Mariam. Community Acceptance towards Male Midwives in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, 2015/16. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Immunology.  2017; 7(1): 28–44p.