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Objectives
To quantitatively examine the relationship between Black fathers’ fertility desires
and pregnancy prevention strategies, and qualitatively explore the nuances of this
relationship.
Methods
We used a concurrent mixed-methods approach to survey 36 and interview 13 Black fathers
from low-income backgrounds, who were participating in a community-based fatherhood
program in a Midwestern urban area. Fathers in this study were ≥18 years old with
at least one child. We compared differences between groups using Fisher's Exact tests
and thematic analyses to examine the relationship between participants’ fertility
desires and reproductive planning practices.
Results
Participants’ median age was 33 and 72% were non-residential biological parents. About
40% of men desired a pregnancy and 69% reported they or their partner always used
contraception. In bivariate analysis, participants’ fertility desires were not associated
with pregnancy prevention (p=0.251). Although most interview participants desired
pregnancies, several factors contributed to their ability to plan for a pregnancy.
Men felt that using contraception to prevent pregnancies was dependent on navigating
trust with a partner. Health before a pregnancy and financial stability were also
important. Overall, participants thought that using an adult mindset, in which they
considered the consequences of unprotected sex, was key to family planning.
Conclusions
Black fathers may not desire a pregnancy and consider a variety of factors, but this
does not always result in active pregnancy prevention/contraceptive use. Community-based
organizations already working with Black fathers can be leveraged to increase reproductive
health awareness and facilitate reproductive planning for fathers.
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Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.
