CHAPTER ONE 1.1 Introduction Antenatal care is one of the priority interventions in reproductive health in Uganda, which significantly contribute to the reduction of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Antenatal care is a planned programmed management of pregnant women directed towards making pregnancy and labour a safe and satisfying experience, resulting into delivery of mature normal baby (MOH report 2004). Perinatal care is the care of a pregnant mother during labour and after delivery with in the first seven days. From the moment of conception when the baby begins his existence the husband /partner is encouraged to begin to assume his responsibility as a father, a helpful, understanding and sympathetic husband can do much to make the pregnancy an experience that will contribute to the foundation of more enriched family life. Men possess little knowledge regarding reproductive health particularly pregnancy health. It seems here in Uganda maternal and child health education targets women only. In fact knowledge concerning fathering and father experience during pregnancy and child birth lags behind. (Franser and Cooper 2003). Many pregnant friends and relatives have commented that culture of their partner largely influence their involvement and in many cases the father is not an intergral part of the pregnant process, it gives an impression that male partner involvement ceases at the time of conception. Pregnancy brings many changes in the health of the woman, such as acceptance of pregnancy, moving into maternal role, able to give birth and nurture infant, relationship with the infant and also body image changes. These changes have great impact on the mother and also her fetus. The psychological changes which happen right from the time of conception up to nine months, call for more supportive action from the male partner in the pregnancy process.
