Patricia N E Roberson, Kendall Bradey, Angela R Andrews, Amy Alspaugh, Alexandria Wilson, Jill M Maples, Nikki B Zite
Four primary themes emerged from the analysis: (a) strengths and challenges of partner involvement, (b) importance of couple communication training, (c) ensuring patient-centeredness, and (d) continued need for information. Providers endorsed dyadic approaches as valuable for fostering partner buy-in and consistent contraceptive use.
INTRODUCTION: Family planning is a dyadic decision influenced by social, cultural, and structural factors. However, contraceptive counseling in perinatal care often centers on pregnant individuals alone, potentially overlooking the critical role of partner involvement. This qualitative study explored health care providers' (HCPs) perceptions of involving partners in perinatal contraceptive education to understand the potential value and challenges of dyadic approaches, guided by the biobehavioral family model.
METHOD: Ten HCPs (including physicians, nurse practitioners, and community health directors) serving low-income populations in Appalachian Tennessee participated in semistructured interviews. The interviews focused on their perceptions of the Planning Together intervention, a dyadic workbook designed to integrate contraceptive education with couple communication training for pregnant couples. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Four primary themes emerged from the analysis: (a) strengths and challenges of partner involvement, (b) importance of couple communication training, (c) ensuring patient-centeredness, and (d) continued need for information. Providers endorsed dyadic approaches as valuable for fostering partner buy-in and consistent contraceptive use.
DISCUSSION: Findings underscore the potential of family-centered contraceptive education to improve relational dynamics and health outcomes. However, they also highlight significant logistical (e.g., appointment attendance) and relational barriers that must be addressed. The study indicates a need for HCP training in dyadic communication skills and for e-health literacy interventions to combat misinformation. By demonstrating how relational dynamics shape contraceptive behaviors, this study advances the biobehavioral family model and offers practical strategies for integrating partners into perinatal care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).