Esma Demirezen, Fatma Şule Tanrıverdi
Anatolian Current Medical Journal - 2025;7(6):828-833
Aims: To determine Turkish men's views about receiving male midwifery care for their wife, partner, or female relatives. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2022- April 2023 with 279 male volunteers, reached via a Google Form prepared in light of the literature by the researchers. Results: Average age was 31.5+/-11.0 years, 47.7% fathers, 66.7% have university degrees and more, 74.2% are not employees in the medical sector, and 44.4% do not know the presence of male midwives in Turkiye, 69.2% agree men can do midwifery, 53% do not want a male relative to be a midwife, 55.9% see a difference between a male gynecologist and a male midwife, 60.6% do not want his partner/relative to receive care from male midwife. In the higher-educated group, men are supporting men to be midwives. They are also willing to receive care from male gynecologist for their spouse/ relative. Stating no male midwife in Turkiye, requesting spouse/relative to receive care from a male doctor was found to be significantly higher in the healthcare worker group. Not wanting men to be midwives and their spouse/partner/relative to receive care from a male midwife was found to be high (p<0.05). Positivity against male midwifery was higher at higher education level. With fatherhood, men prefer a gynecologist for their spouses/ partners; however, they do not prefer a male midwife. Conclusion: With the increase of male midwives in our country, hesitations will become more prominent. However, in western countries with high number of Turkish immigrants where male midwives are common, cultural and social aspects are part of competent care. However no data on this are available. All data will contribute to both sides.
