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The impact of joint partner decision making on obstetric choices and outcomes among Malawian women
Author(s) -
Rao Nisha,
Esber Allahna,
Turner Abigail,
Chilewani Joseph,
Banda Venson,
Norris Alison
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2016.03.019
Subject(s) - medicine , odds ratio , logistic regression , odds , confidence interval , pregnancy , population , cross sectional study , obstetrics , demography , family medicine , environmental health , pathology , sociology , biology , genetics
Objective To determine the effects of joint partner decision making on obstetric choices and outcomes in Malawi. Methods Between July 15, 2014 and February 25, 2015, interviews were performed with women who reported at least one lifetime pregnancy in Lilongwe District, Malawi as part of a cross‐sectional study of reproductive decision making. Logistic regression models were applied to examine associations of joint decision making with delivery location and obstetric complications. Results The study population included 860 women. Women who engaged in joint decision making with partners (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.3–7.2) and women whose partners made obstetric‐care decisions alone (aOR 3.2; 95% CI 2.4–4.4) were more likely to undergo delivery at a healthcare facility compared with women who made obstetric‐care decisions individually. In comparison with women who made obstetric decisions individually, no difference in the likelihood of experiencing obstetric complications was observed for women who engaged in joint decision making (aOR 1.1; 95% CI 0.7–1.7) or for women whose partners made decisions individually (aOR 0.8; 95% CI 0.5–1.3). Conclusion In rural Malawi, partner involvement in obstetric decision making was associated with improved obstetric choices.