Table 2.

themes on barriers to male accompanying spouses to maternal and child health clinic

Theme	Codes
Traditional gender norms, roles and beliefs	Look shameful, responsibility of women to go to maternal and child health (MCH) clinic, ridiculed by fellow men
Work commitment	Lack of time, men-s nature of work, lack of permission from work, working far away from home
Unfavourable MCH set-up	Unsupportive staff; staff attitude, long ques and waiting time, staff gender in the MCH, lack of privacy, lack of services targeting men, Boredom at waiting bay
Fear of HIV testing	Tested for HIV
Lack of awareness	Lack of community awareness, lack of knowledge, lack of role models