Abstract
Purpose
The presence of husbands at childbirth has been widely accepted in Japan. However, the negative effects of attending childbirth on husbands can include mental health disorders such as symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The purpose of this study was to explore husbands' experiences and feelings with attending their partners' childbirths and to describe the transformation process of their feelings before, during, and after childbirth.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted by a male interviewer. Fourteen Japanese men who had attended their wives' childbirths at two maternal hospitals within the past three months were recruited. Ten agreed to be interviewed and participated in the study from October 2011 to January 2012. Data were collected using an ethnographic approach called the Rapid Assessment Process. Interviews were approximately 90–120 minutes long and were conducted in person at a time and location convenient for participants. Two researchers independently analyzed the qualitative data using content analysis to identify categories and sub-categories of husbands' experiences and feelings before, during, and after attending childbirth.
Results
Seven of ten participants were attending childbirth for the first time. All participants attended the vaginal delivery from the first stage until the end of labor. Five categories consisting of 12 sub-categories emerged as descriptions of the husbands' experiences and feelings: "Wanted to support my wife," "Concerns about unknown world," "Overcame a problem with my wife," "Noticed the differences between men and women," and "Grew up." Two factors—"Responses of the medical staff" and "Appreciation from my wife"—affected the experiences and feelings of the husbands regarding attending childbirth. Furthermore, their feelings shifted as time passed. Specifically, "Wanted to support my wife" was apparent in husbands' feelings and actions during their wives' pregnancy. Categories that were salient during labor were "Concerns about unknown world," "Overcame the problem faced with my wife," and "Noticed the differences between men and women." Finally, "Grew up" was a common theme during the postpartum period. It was demonstrated that experiences and feelings were different between men who had and those who had not attended childbirth previously. Data from four subcategories, including "A feeling of powerlessness" and "Discover a new world," were not extracted from participants who had already attended childbirth.
Conclusion
Husbands' feelings regarding attending childbirth were transformed before, during, and after childbirth. The present findings might help caregivers to better understand husbands' feelings and anxieties, which could facilitate husband involvement in childbirth. Health care providers should incorporate this process in working with husbands involved in childbirth to help husbands as well as childbearing women have a satisfactory childbirth experience.
