Partner perception and participation in prenatal and birth care

Objective: to understand the partner's perception of their experience and participation in prenatal care and birth. Method: a qualitative study conducted with 26 parents approached from October to November 2020, through interviews by recorded digital audio media. Content analysis was used, thematic modality. Results: three categories emerged which show that they had little participation in prenatal consultations and are unaware of the "partner's prenatal". In general, they show gratitude for assistance during childbirth, but few reported having received information related to health education. Final considerations: men recognize that as parents, they have a responsibility to monitor prenatal care, realize the benefits of this participation, but do not feel welcomed or encouraged to participate and do not have their health needs considered, which needs to be reviewed by health professionals, especially nurses.