The reasons as to why women want men to be there when they deliver differ from woman to woman or more appropriately between age groups.
Mavis Ramonna, a Francistown business woman, said she would love the father of her child to be present when she delivers mainly because of his invaluable support.
"I would love them (men) to be there. I think every woman would like her partner to be present despite the fact that men are not bound by our African culture." Ramonna says she does not think that there is any woman who does not need support during such a critical time in her life.
"It is not a good feeling to be surrounded by unfamiliar people at such a time," she added.
Another woman, Alice Moabi, a shop assistant, says that she also would like the father of her baby to be in the delivery room "so that he can see the pain I am going through.
"I want him to come in and see how much I'm suffering and how hard it is to have a baby. That is how they (men) will see why we always complain about child support, which they take lightly," she said.
Moabi further told Monitor that for men to be able to appreciate children and women more, they should see the children being born and women giving birth.
"Right now they just have a vague idea, which is not good. I'm not saying they should not be in the room for support, I'm just saying that it will also help with other things in which our men are lacking," she added.
Even though most women say that men should be there, there are some who argue that "seeing is not believing" in that their presence would do little or nothing to change the habitual wife and child abuser.
"Naledi Nimananga, a middle-aged shop assistant, says it does not matter whether her man is there or not.
"If he is comfortable with it, he can come in but if he is not, there is really no need to put him under pressure."
On the other hand, men have a totally different view on this matter.
Pastor Irvin Dambaza says that he personally would love to go in and give his wife support when she is in labour but the women are usually the ones who control things.
"If she wants me to come in and give her support and the law allows it, I don't see why I shouldn't," he told Monitor.
Dambaza says that sometimes "some women do not want to see a man during labour as they harbour negative feelings" towards men.
"Some women want a man there for the wrong reason. They should want us there for the love and support that we can offer," he added.
Benny Nneya, a young computer operator, said that he could only go into the delivery room if there is a need.
"Maybe if she's sick or if there is any other compelling reason why I should be in there. Otherwise there is no point," he says.
Most people interviewed also complained about the lack of maternity facilities in this country. Some men would want to be with their wives when they deliver, but few can afford fees charged by the Gaborone Private Hospital, which has appropriate facilities, for instance.
Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital Superintendent Japhter Masunge said men should be encouraged to be with their women when they deliver to give them moral support but lack of facilities was a major hindrance.
Masunge said in hospitals in Botswana, "we have no single rooms" to ensure some degree of privacy.
"You know in our hospital we usually have a cubicle with about five beds, or so, where women deliver and that would make it difficult for couples who wish to support each other (to do so).
"If we had single rooms, men would definitely be encouraged to come and support their partners when they deliver."
At present, Masunge said, there is no policy that governs that area of hospital care.
"There is nothing in the policy that says men can go in with their women or they can't. I think it's just a matter of facilities."
Masunge further says that it cannot be ignored though, that traditionally when you speak about a woman giving birth, men are the last people one thinks about.
"Culturally, men are not expected to get involved and they do stay as far away as possible. Elsewhere, especially in Western countries, men are expected to be there when their wives deliver."
Men in Western cultures even attend pregnancy and birth classes with their spouses and prepare for the birth and arrival of the child, he said.
