Table 3 The health behaviours of expectant male partners
Participant health behaviours | LMUP category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
All (n = 138) | Planned (n = 90) | Ambivalent/ Unplanned (n = 48) | P (Cramer’s V) | |
n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||
Vitamins/supplements before partner’s pregnancy | ||||
Folic acid (n = 80) | 4 (5.0) | 3 (5.6) | 1 (3.7) | 0.58 |
Ordinary multivitamin (n = 86) | 16 (11.5) | 12 (13.3) | 4 (8.3) | 0.28 |
Vitamin C (n = 82) | 9 (6.5) | 6 (6.6) | 3 (6.2) | 1.00 |
Zinc (n = 81) | 7 (5.0) | 6 (6.6) | 1 (2.0) | 0.23 |
Omega 3 (n = 84) | 7 (5.0) | 3 (3.3) | 4 (8.3) | 0.19 |
Antioxidants (n = 79) | 2 (1.4) | 2 (2.2) | 0 (0.0) | 0.42 |
Herbal medicines (n = 80) | 3 (2.1) | 2 (2.2) | 1 (2.0) | 1.0 |
Other (n = 80) | 8 (5.8) | 6 (6.6) | 2 (4.1) | 0.71 |
Any folic acid# | 18 (13.0) | 14 (15.5) | 4 (8.3) | 0.29 |
Any natural health product## | 30 (21.7) | 22 (24.4) | 8 (16.6) | 0.29 |
Physical activity [3 months before partner’s pregnancy] (n = 134) | 96 (69.5) | 71 (78.8) | 25 (52.0) | 0.001 (0.27) |
| Â | Median (Q1, Q3) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Â |
Number of physical activity hours per week (n = 95) | 5 (3, 7.5) | 5 (3, 7.5) | 5 (3, 6) | 0.10 |
| Â | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | Â |
Ever smoked (n = 134) | 50 (36.3) | 25 (27.7) | 25 (52.0) | 0.005 (0.24) |
Cigarettes | 42 (84.0) | 19 (76.0) | 23 (92.0) | 0.20 |
E-cigarettes | 4 (8.0) | 4 (16.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
Other | 4 (8.0) | 2 (8.0) | 2 (8.0) | |
Smoking [3 months before partner’s pregnancy] (n = 50)** | 22 (44.0) | 9 (36.0) | 13 (52.0) | 0.25 |
| Â | Median (Q1, Q3) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Â |
Number of cigarettes or equivalents per day (n = 20) | 8 (2,18.5) | 8 (2, 16) | 8 (3, 20) | 0.61 |
| Â | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | Â |
Ever consumed alcohol (n = 132) | 117 (84.7) | 78 (86.6) | 39 (81.2) | 0.39 |
Alcohol consumption [3 months before partner’s pregnancy]*** | ||||
| Â | Median (Q1, Q3) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Â |
Units during the week (Monday to Thursday) (n = 113) | 2 (0, 4) | 2 (0, 4) | 1 (0,3) | 0.11 |
Units during the weekend (Friday to Sunday) (n = 114) | 4 (1, 6) | 4 (1, 6) | 4 (1, 8) | 0.76 |
Any action before partner became pregnant [6 months before partner’s pregnancy] | ||||
Followed a weight loss diet | 15 (19.7) | 10 (18.1) | 5 (23.8) | 0.74 |
Get tested for a sexually transmitted disease | 10 (13.1) | 9 (16.3) | 1 (4.7) | 0.26 |
Contraception methods [6 months before partner’s pregnancy] **** | ||||
Condoms (n = 39) | 27 (69.2) | 19 (70.3) | 8 (66.6) | 0.81 |
Other^ (n = 116) | 18 (15.5) | 12 (16.2) | 6 (14.2) | 0.78 |
Any action before partner became pregnant [12 months before partner’s pregnancy] | ||||
Visit a dentist | 59 (42.7) | 42 (46.6) | 17 (35.4) | 0.20 |
Check immunizations | 22 (15.9) | 20 (22.2) | 2 (4.1) | 0.02 (0.26) |
Seeing any health professional about becoming pregnant [12 months before partner’s pregnancy] (n = 96) | 31 (32.2) | 21 (32.3) | 10 (32.2) | 0.99 |