11 Reproductive Health Facts from India and Beyond That Need More Awareness

11. Lesson for the US: tackling social norms and engaging men improves outcomes

Many reproductive-health outcomes improve when programs work with families, not just individuals. In India, successful interventions have engaged men in antenatal care, contraceptive counseling, and newborn care, helping shift norms about caregiving and responsibility. The lesson for the US and other settings is practical: involve partners in education, encourage shared decision-making, and design messages that speak to whole families. Programs that treat men as allies rather than obstacles reduce stigma around contraception and mental health support, and they increase support for maternal healthcare visits. Community dialogues, couple-based counseling when appropriate, and male-focused outreach in workplaces or community centers make involvement easier. By addressing gender norms directly and creating concrete roles for men in reproductive health, interventions achieve broader behavior change and more supportive household environments for women and newborns.