A Study of Involvement of Men in Maternity in Jammu and Kashmir, India

Bashir A. Bhat, Kashmir University

Both men and women make important contributions to the production of children, yet demographic studies of fertility and family planning have tended to focus on women alone or have looked at men from a narrow range of approaches. The main objectives of this study is to know the attitudes of men regarding the family size preferences, family planning and women’s health, their involvement and participation in maternity, delivery, post-natal care and family planning. We plan to use the National Family Health Survey-3 data conducted in India during 2005-2006. We have also conducted a few focus group discussions to examine the issue. We use both bivariate as well as logic regression analysis and results show that men in Jammu and Kashmir are now participating in accompanying their spouses to utilize antenatal and post natal care services but are not taking the responsibility of accepting male methods of contraception.