How Do Partners Make Pregnancy-Related Decisions? Understanding the Decision-Making Process of Couples: A Scoping Review

Yil Severijns*, Liesbeth A. D. M. van Osch, Jesse Jansen, Esther Schutgens-Kok, Christine E. M. de Die-Smulders, Ciska Hoving, Marianne Nieuwenhuijze, Marieke Schor, Hubertina C. J. Scheepers, Sanne van der Hout

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This scoping review seeks to improve our understanding of how pregnant women and their partners make decisions related to pregnancy. A total of 43 articles were included in which four themes were identified: [1] decision-making authority, [2] communication between decisional partners, [3] informational needs/knowledge, and [4] involvement/support of the partner. The extent to which couples make decisions together depends on cultural aspects, existing power relationships, the amount of information received by both partners, the type of decision and the consequences of the decision. While many male partners prioritize female autonomy in pregnancy-related decisions, contextual factors such as income and cultural influences can affect women’s autonomy. Additionally, the research emphasizes the importance of couple autonomy, asserting that joint decision-making can positively contribute to the decision-making process of couples navigating pregnancy-related choices.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-24
Number of pages24
JournalWomen's Reproductive Health
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 10 May 2024

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