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‘Support wives during pregnancy’

Husbands have been advised by the Executive Director of Health Concern Ghana, Mrs Mary Aboagye, to provide maximum support and attention for their wives during pregnancy.

She said husbands should be financially involved in the purchase of prescribed medications for their pregnant wives and also help them deal with emotional stress that they might encounter during the period to enable them to bring forth healthy babies.

Mrs Aboagye added that whatever women went through during pregnancy affected the developmental changes of the foetus, hence the need to give expectant women the needed attention and affection.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, she said: “Men must be closer to their wives, especially being present during labour, to see what women go through in order to appreciate childbirth.”

Mrs Aboagye also indicated that “the best possible way for fathers to develop a strong bond with their children is the period when the man rubs his hand on the woman’s tummy to feel the movement of the foetus and to hold the baby right after birth,” stressing that “fathers need to develop love for their children.”

She further stated that lack of affection and support from men during and after pregnancy weakened their wives’ emotional capacities and that could lead to emotional stress resulting from eclampsia and hypertension.

Men, she said, must comfort their wives in order to ensure safe delivery in hospitals and clinics and also  contribute their quota to fighting the battle against maternal mortality.

Mrs Aboagye concluded that men had a responsibility to be involved in assisting health professionals to improve maternal health.

Story: Jennifer Ansah

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