RATIONALE FOR INVOLVING MEN IN FAMILY PLANNING

Irina Savelieva, MD, PhD Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Russian Society of Contraception, Moscow, Russia

WHY INVOLVE MEN IN FAMILY PLANNING

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Men have already involved

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Women have traditionally been focus on family planning programs

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Women have suffered as result of men’s absence from reproductive health care

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Men and women want men to participate

MEN’S ROLE IN CONTRACEPTION

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Financial support (e.g., by helping her pay for the method)

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Emotional support (e.g., by accompanying her to the clinic, discussing the reasons for choosing one method over another, and/or supporting her choice of method)

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Help with the method if she desires (e.g., by helping to insert the spermicide, if needed, or reminding her when to use it)

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Support by using an alternative method (such as withdrawal or condoms) in case she forgets to use or has an unexpected problem with her chosen method

PARTNERS AND CONTRACEPTION

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 9,9 Withdrawal 52,3 Condoms 12,2 8,0 Natural Spermicide 40,7% women used pregnancy prevention methods when they got pregnant

PARTNER’ «PARTICIPATING» IN THE ABORTION’ PROCEDURE

100 82,6 80 64,4 60 26 40 16 20 6 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

0 1 2 3 4 5 Have discussed pregnancy prevention with husband/ partner Wish partner to participate in counseling Partner come with woman Partner participated in the talk about how to prevent pregnancy Partner have been invited to follow-up visit

PROVIDERS ABOUT MALE INVOLVMENT

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Only 10% of all providers and 18% of providers who do contraceptive counseling have ever discussed family planning with client’s partner

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More than 90% thought that provision of reproductive health services to men would improve women’s health

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NEVERTHELESS, a little more than 60% providers support the idea of providing reproductive health services to men at their own facility

CHALLENGES TO INVOLVING MEN

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Men often lack access to services

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Men lack information about FP/RH

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Staff resistance or ambivalence toward men or providing men’s reproductive health services

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Lack of support for the men’s reproductive health program by facility administrators or health officials

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Lack of information, education, communication (IEC) materials focused on men and

WAYS THAT HEALTH CARE WORKERS CAN HELP INCREASE MALE PARTICIPATION IN CONTRACEPTION

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Making condoms readily available at the facility

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Providing education to men on FP in various community settings

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Providing contraception counseling to men during STI testing, diagnosis, and treatment

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Offering couples counseling to men and female partners during female client’s family planning visits

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Discussing FP with couples using prenatal care services

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Providing an atmosphere in the FP clinic that is welcoming to men

WAYS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES

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Providing comfortable training working sexuality training to make with staff male more clients, including attitudinal, management, clinical, and

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Including men’s reproductive health services in the facility’s mission statement

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Collecting and distributing IEC materials or implementing an IEC campaign

MAIN DIRECTIONS FOR SUCCESS IN INVOLVING MEN IN FAMILY PLANNING

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To increase men’s awareness of and support for the FP/RH choices of their partners To increase men’s awareness of the need to safeguard the RH of their partners and themselves, especially through the prevention of STI/HIV/AIDS To improve access to men’s contraceptive methods for couples who are interested in using them To improve men’s access to comprehensive reproductive health services

BENEFITS FOR COMMUNITY IN INVOLVING MEN IN RH

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Greater access to high-quality reproductive services by women and men health

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Higher rates of diagnosis and treatment for STIs, which, in turn, reduce the number of reinfections

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Early detection and successful treatment of prostate and testicular cancer

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Fewer adolescent pregnancies

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Greater male involvement contributions to parenting with children

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Better understanding of infertility problems and

BENEFITS FOR COMMUNITY IN INVOLVING MEN IN RH

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Better understanding of maternity issues, maternity care, and ways to recognize an obstetrical emergency

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Better understanding of domestic violence and ways to enhance men's ability to communicate in nonviolent ways

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Better understanding of gender roles, traditional inequities between men and women, and how changing gender roles might benefit everyone

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Improved health overall for women, men and children

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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION,

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12 september 2003, Budapest