Shamu Simukai, Shamu Patience, Machisa Mercilene Tanyaradzwa
Centre for Evaluation of Public Health Interventions in Africa (CEPHIA), Pretoria, South Africa.
School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Mar 24;25(1):1113. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22310-5.
The phenomenon of fathers refusing responsibility during pregnancy has not received adequate attention in African studies. This paper assesses associated factors and pregnancy-related outcomes when fathers refuse to support partners' pregnancies and undertake parental responsibilities.
A cross-sectional survey of 15-49-year-old postnatal (1-6 weeks) women was conducted at six urban health facilities in Harare. Participants were interviewed about their male partners' refusal to support their pregnancies and parenting, bride price payments (indicating marriage commitment), partner violence and control, alcohol abuse and family planning decision-making. Pregnancy health outcome data including antenatal care attendance, low birth weight (LBW)(< 2500 g) and postnatal depression were collected through interviews and clinic records. Multiple regression models were built to assess gender-related factors and health outcomes associated with male partners' refusal of parenting responsibilities.
Of the 2042 women interviewed, 6.4% reported partner refusal to support the pregnancy or parenting. Higher odds of partner refusal of fathering responsibility were associated with partners not paying bride price (aOR 9.31; 95% CI 1.16-74.59), violence perpetration during pregnancy (aOR 2.84; 1.28-6.23), highly controlling behaviours (aOR 4.96; 2.83-8.69), alcohol abuse (aOR 1.78; 1.05-3.02), unintended pregnancy (aOR 3.72; 1.84-7.53) and partner refusal to use contraceptives (aOR 3.64; 1.86-7.14). Women who used contraceptives (aOR 0.40; 0.23-0.71), made joint (aOR 0.30; 0.14-0.67) or individual (aOR 0.25; 0.07-0.94) pregnancy decisions were protected from partner refusal of parenting responsibility. Women's depressive symptomatology (aOR2.64; 1.52-4.59), LBW (aOR5.30; 1.18-23.74) and partner discouragement of antenatal care attendance (aOR 3.86; 1.13-13.17) were pregnancy outcomes associated with partner refusal of parenting responsibility.
Male partners' refusal to acknowledge parenting responsibility was associated with men's abusiveness, absence of commitment to long-term relationship/marriage, gender unequal practices and negative maternal and child health outcomes. Parenting programmes must be instituted and prioritise transforming traditional gender norms to improve fathering responsibilities.
在非洲研究中，父亲在孕期拒绝承担责任的现象尚未得到充分关注。本文评估了父亲拒绝支持伴侣怀孕并承担为人父母责任时的相关因素及与怀孕相关的结果。
在哈拉雷的六个城市卫生机构对15至49岁的产后（1至6周）妇女进行了横断面调查。就其男性伴侣拒绝支持其怀孕和养育子女、彩礼支付（表明婚姻承诺）、伴侣暴力与控制、酗酒及计划生育决策等方面对参与者进行了访谈。通过访谈和诊所记录收集了包括产前检查出勤率、低出生体重（<2500克）和产后抑郁等怀孕健康结果数据。建立了多元回归模型以评估与男性伴侣拒绝承担养育责任相关的性别因素和健康结果。
在接受访谈的2042名妇女中，6.4%报告伴侣拒绝支持怀孕或养育子女。伴侣拒绝承担父亲责任的较高几率与伴侣未支付彩礼（调整后比值比9.31；95%置信区间1.16 - 74.59）、孕期实施暴力（调整后比值比2.84；1.28 - 6.23）、高度控制行为（调整后比值比4.96；2.83 - 8.69）、酗酒（调整后比值比1.78；1.05 - 3.02）、意外怀孕（调整后比值比3.72；1.84 - 7.53）以及伴侣拒绝使用避孕药具（调整后比值比3.64；1.86 - 7.14）相关。使用避孕药具的妇女（调整后比值比0.40；0.23 - 0.71）、做出共同（调整后比值比0.30；0.14 - 0.67）或个人（调整后比值比0.25；0.07 - 0.94）怀孕决定的妇女可免受伴侣拒绝承担养育责任的影响。女性的抑郁症状（调整后比值比2.64；1.52 - 4.59）、低出生体重（调整后比值比5.30；1.18 - 23.74）以及伴侣不鼓励产前检查出勤率（调整后比值比3.86；1.13 - 13.17）是与伴侣拒绝承担养育责任相关的怀孕结果。
男性伴侣拒绝承认养育责任与男性的虐待行为、缺乏对长期关系/婚姻的承诺、性别不平等做法以及母婴健康的负面结果相关。必须制定育儿计划并优先转变传统性别规范以改善父亲责任。
