The Partner's Involvement in the Prenatal Routine Through the Pregnant Women Perspective

Objective: The study's goal has been to analyze how the pregnant woman perceives the partner's involvement in the prenatal routine. Methods: It is a descriptive-exploratory study with a qualitative approach. Data collection was performed from March to June 2016, through a semi-structured interview. The research participants were 11 pregnant women, starting at the 28th week of gestation, who were submitted to content analysis in the thematic modality. Results: Data analysis shows that only one participant had complete follow-up by the partner, another five reported the partner's presence only during the obstetrical ultrasonography procedure. Regarding the women that reported partner's absence, the work was highlighted as the main factor; it was also observed that gender issues influence this absence, since the pregnancy is seen as a woman exclusive moment. Conclusion: It is essential that health services can become sensitive to the insertion of the partner in this routine. Furthermore, an intersectoral partnership between the health, the legal and the educational sectors must become a reality in order to stimulate this change.