Exploring Cypriot Fathers’ Attitudes, Beliefs and Level of Involvement Around the Decision-Making Process for Childbirth Method.

  1. Andreou, Natasa
  2. School of Humanities and Social Sciences
  3. Department of Social Sciences
  4. Οκτώβριος 2021
  5. 122 pages
  6. Ioannou, Yianna | Ferreira, Nuno | Petronda, Stella
  7. Cypriot fathers' beliefs | Decision-making | Childbirth methods | Paternal involvement
  8. Social science
    • Introduction: Cyprus has the highest rate of caesarean deliveries in Europe with 56.9% of live and still births in 2015, which is more than double the European average of 27%. The majority being due to maternal requests. Across western countries, childbirth has become a couple-centered event as fathers are becoming more involved during their partners’ pregnancies in comparison to previous times. Yet there is a lack of knowledge in regards to the role the father may play in the decision-making process for childbirth method.

      Objective: Drawing from the lack of research in this field, the present study aimed to investigate levels of paternal involvement during this process in the Cypriot population.

      Methods: Men with at least one child under the age of five, involved in a committed relationship with the mother of their child were eligible to take part in the study. A total of 108 participants took part in the study. The research project employed a quantitative-based cross-sectional design. A battery of self-report questionnaires were employed as instruments of data collection and were made available on an electronic platform.

      Results: Findings suggest that a constructive communication style between partners can determine the fathers’ level of involvement during decision-making for childbirth method. Also, fathers’ partners with positive beliefs towards a specific type of childbirth method increases the likelihood of selecting that type of delivery method. Fathers’ beliefs about a specific childbirth delivery option does not influence the actual decision made.

      Conclusion: The current study highlights the need for further exploration, by employing qualitative research designs, of possible indirect factors that could have a significant impact on prenatal paternal involvement. It is recommended that future studies investigate the reasons why fathers take a passive stance during the decision-making process by taking into account societal cultural perspectives of the father’s role during pregnancy as well as exploring healthcare system approaches to childbirth.

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