Who does what? Reproductive responsibilities between heterosexual partners

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Sociology
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Reproductive health management is often a burden disproportionately shouldered by women.
• This includes physical, emotional, and financial aspects of contraception, conception planning, and healthcare access.
• Societal expectations and gender roles significantly influence the division of these responsibilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the definition and negotiation of reproductive responsibilities between heterosexual partners.
• To understand partner dynamics during various reproductive life events, including contraception and abortion decision-making.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to shared reproductive work.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of original research.
• Searched databases: Medline (Ovid), CINAHL, and Scopus.
• Included studies from high-income countries published from 2015 onwards.

Main Results:

• Men expressed conflict between wanting to be involved and respecting partners' autonomy.
• Barriers to male engagement included lack of male-controlled contraception, poor sexual health knowledge, financial issues, and feminized family planning services.
• Nuanced forms of shared responsibility were observed, such as emotional support during sensitive events and cost-sharing.

Conclusions:

• Reproductive responsibilities are complex and unequally distributed, influenced by gender roles and systemic barriers.
• Despite challenges, couples engage in various strategies to share reproductive work and healthcare costs.
• Further research is needed to promote equitable partnership in reproductive health management.