Beyond women's burden: integrating male partners into contraceptive decision-making

Contraceptive use and family planning have traditionally been viewed as women's responsibility, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Despite growing evidence highlighting the positive impact of male involvement in improving contraceptive uptake, continuation, and reproductive health outcomes, the participation of male partners remains limited. This review explores the critical role of male partners in contraceptive decision-making and synthesizes current evidence on the barriers impeding their participation. It further identifies strategies and interventions to foster shared responsibility in family planning and promote equitable reproductive health practices.

A narrative review approach was adopted to collate global and regional evidence from peer-reviewed literature, policy reports, and relevant case studies. The review is structured around five core themes: sociocultural and gender norms, knowledge and educational barriers, limitations within healthcare systems, misconceptions around male contraceptive methods, and systemic challenges to implementation. The review also presents innovative, context-sensitive strategies for male engagement and future directions to enhance male participation in family planning.

The analysis reveals that male involvement remains suboptimal due to persistent patriarchal norms, misinformation, stigma, and limited access to male-centric contraceptive options. Existing family planning programs often lack couple-focused counseling and fail to provide inclusive services for men. However, interventions such as couple-based education, male-friendly clinics, community advocacy, gamified digital tools, and AI-enabled reproductive health platforms show promise in shifting attitudes and improving engagement. Success stories from countries including Tanzania, Vietnam, and India provide evidence for scalable, culturally adaptive models that facilitate male involvement.

Strengthening male participation is pivotal for achieving equitable reproductive health outcomes. Multi-level strategies, such as spanning education, service delivery, community norms, and policy integration, are essential to promote shared responsibility. Addressing systemic barriers, expanding male contraceptive choices, and leveraging technology can catalyze behavioral change and contribute to more inclusive, effective, and sustainable family planning programs.