Supportive care provided by companion during childbirth and it's effect on labor progress and maternal satisfaction

Abstract

Background: Childbirth is physically challenging and can be accompanied by psychological stress. Women have a strong desire for safe, supportive, kind, respectful and responsive care during labor and birth.Aim:Evaluate the effect of supportive care provided to women by companion during labor on labor progress and maternal satisfaction. Subjects and Method:Design: Quasi-experimental design was used.Setting :study conduct at antenatal clinic in medical center in Damietta city at labor unit in Al-Azhar university hospital on 150 parturient women divided to to groups (control group and study group each group was 75 particioant) who attending the labor unit. Tools:data collected using structured interviewed questionnaire,Observation checklists and Satisfaction scale. Results:. 84% of the companions demonstrated adequate supportive care.Significantly shorter durations of Stage I and Stage IIwere revealed among women in the study group compared with control group. In total, 86.7% of the women in the study group were satisfied with the labor process, compared with 20.0% in the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: supportive care from a companion is effective in shortening the duration of laborand higher levels of satisfaction among laboring women.Recommendations:Establish systems, protocols, policies and strategies to enhance the application of companion support during labor.