title: The role of fathers during pregnancy: A qualitative exploration of Arabic fathers' beliefs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to gain a deeper understanding of Arabic fathers' involvement in maternity care during their wives' pregnancy, and to give a descriptive interpretative explanation of their lived experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  a phenomenological study was undertaken to understand the perspectives of Arabic fathers regarding their involvement in maternity care. In-depth, semi-structured, audio taped interviews were conducted with 19 Arabic fathers. The analysis was done using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the main theme of our findings can be expressed as 'the role of fathers during pregnancy,׳ which encompasses the degree and type of support that fathers offered to their wives. Four sub-themes emerged from the data: sharing of responsibility, compassion and attention, the father is the guardian of the wife, and prayer and supplication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the study revealed the perspectives of Arabic fathers about the degree and type of support they offered to their wives during pregnancy. The present maternity health policies in Arabic countries need revision to allow for fathers' inclusion. The findings of this study may offer insight that helps stakeholders of maternal health programs to support the meaningful involvement of fathers in maternity care.
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, The University of Jordan, Jordan. Electronic address: h.bawadi@ju.edu.jo.
authors.forename: Hala A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Bawadi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan. Electronic address: amqandil@just.edu.jo.
authors.forename: Abeer M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Qandil
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan. Electronic address: Zaid_hamdan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zaid M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Al-Hamdan
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care, Hail, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: hani.mahallawi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hani H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Mahallawi
mesh_terms: D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D008297:Male; D036801:Parturition / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012380:Role; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D018454:Spouses
keywords: Arabic men; Fathers’ involvement; Maternity care; Pregnancy