Gender roles and practice of decision making on reproductive behavior among couples of Syangja district, Nepal
Keywords:
Reproductive behavior, Gender, CouplesAbstract
Background: Reproductive behavior and its decision making practices are generally exercised in one of the three ways – mutual, dominancy of husband or dominancy of wife. Gender norms and roles prevalent in society affect the practice of reproductive decision making among couples. The aim of this study was to identify the practice of decision making on different reproductive behavior among couples and to examine the associated factors of decision making.
Methods: Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in four Village Development Committee (VDCs) of Syangja district of Nepal by using structured interview schedule. The couples of reproductive age (15-49 years) having at least children of one year were the study population.
Results: Decision making on the use contraceptives and plan for pregnancy was mostly mutual (62.1% and 74.8% respectively). Regarding the birth spacing, majority (42.4%) of couples had made no decision followed by mutual decision (41.4%). While 72.0 % couples had gone through mutual discussion to maintain the family size, 27.7% discussed not at all regarding the concerned matter. Only 37.7% of husbands had provided adequate time for nurturing and caring their children. Association was found between decision maker on pregnancy and times of pregnancy (P<0.05), decision maker on birth spacing and interval between children (P<0.05), and employment status of husband and time provided by husband for nurturing and caring of baby (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Mutual decision making on reproductive behavior like pregnancy, birth spacing and family size symbolizes the initiation transformational gender norms and roles in Nepalese rural societies.
Metrics
References
Shrestha DR. Reproductive Health - National and International Perspectives. 1st ed. Dhulikhel: New Dhulikhel Printing Press; 2008.
United Nations Population Information Network. Report of the International Conference on Population and Development. CairoSeptember 1994.
Oladeji. D. Gender Roles and Norms Factors Influencing Reproducitve Behavior among Couples in Ibadan, Nigeria. Anthropologist 2008;10(2):133-8.
Doyal L. Gender equity in health: debates and dilemmas. Social Science & Medicine. 2000;51(6):931-9.
Aras R Y VI, D'souza N. Gender variables and reproductive behavior of women from rural Mangalore, South karnataka, India. International Journal of Collaborative Research on Internal Medicine and Public Health. 2012;4(3):167-76.
Bui Thi Thu Ha. Rohan Jayasuriya NO. Increasing male involvement in family planning decision making: trial of a social-cognitive intervention in ruarl Vietnam. Health Education Research. 2005;20(5):548-56.
Green CP. Male involvement in reproductive health and family planning. Programme Advisory Note/Technical Paper, UNFPAMIRH. 1994.
UNFPA. Reproductive Health. 2012; Available from: http://nepal.unfpa.org/en/programmes/reproductive. php.
Ministry of Health and Population; Government of Nepal. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, 2011.
Boulay M, Valente TW. The selection of family planning discussion partners in Nepal. Journal of Health Communication. 2005;10(6):519-36.
Kamal N. The influence of husbands on contraceptive use by Bangladeshi women. Health Policy and Planning. 2000;15(1):43-51.
Schuler S, Rottach E, Peninah M. Gender norms and family planning decision-making in Tanzania: A qualitative study. Washington DC: C-Change. 2009.
Azimi YN, Atiya AS. Husband-Wife Communication and Family Planning Practices Among Malay Married Couples in Mukin Rusila, Terengganu. Medical Journal of Malaysia. 2003;58(2):218-28.
Feyisetan BJ. Spousal communication and contraceptive use among the Yoruba of Nigeria. Population Research and Policy Review. 2000;19:29-45.
Ezeh AC. The influence of spouses over each other's contraceptive attitudes in Ghana. Studies in Family Planning. 1993:163-74.
Caldwell J, Caldwell P. The limitation of family size in Ibadan, Nigeria: An explanation of its comparative rarity derived from in-depth interviews. Ebigbola JA, Renne ED, editors. Ibadan: African Book Publishers; 2000.
Adewuyi A, editor. Power and Privilege. The Male Issues in Fertility Transition in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa. African population in the 21st century Proceedings of the UAPS Conference; 1999.
Wusu O, Isiugo-Abanihe UC. Family structure and reproductive health decision-making among the Ogu of Southwestern Nigeria: A qualitative study. 2004.
Groenewold G, Horstman R, De Bruijn B. Gender and the Role of Men in Reproductive Health: Applications in studies on HIV Sexual Risk-behaviour in Zambia, Safe Motherhood in Nepal: Nethrlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute 2004.
United Nations Population Fund. International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, Egypt, 1994. Available from: http://www.un.org/popin/icpd2.htm.
Ha BTT, Jayasuriya R, Owen N. Increasing male involvement in family planning decision making: trial of a social-cognitive intervention in rural Vietnam. Health Education Research. 2005;20(5): 548-56.
International Family Planning. Male Involvement in Reproductive Health: An assessment of the Behaviour Change Effectiveness of Information, Education and Communication 2005.
