Parturients' need of continuous labor support in labor wards

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction: The presence of a companion during labor and delivery benefits for both the laboring women and
neonate. Continuous labor support is practiced in different parts of the world. In Ethiopia, it is neither practiced well
nor researched in-depth.
Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess the attitude of women in response to labor support based at
institutional deliveries.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study by design. Data on labor support was collected from 406 women who
delivered at three University hospitals in Addis Ababa through trained nurses using a pre-tested questionnaire. The
result was analyzed using EPI INFO version 6 software packages.
Results: Seventy-three percent of the study women had fear of labor mainly due to associated pain (66.1%). About
53% of them need to have a companion during labor. The reasons given for wanting companion were emotional
(49.5%), information (25%) and physical (21.7%) supports. About 54% and 37% of women at labor need to have
respectively their mothers and husbands as companions. The need for labor companion was significantly associated
with maternal age (x2=13.57, p=0.00), educational status (x2=8.7, p=0.000), monthly household income (x2=14,
p=0.00), marital status (x2=16.77, p=0.00), and mode of delivery (x2=9.69, p=0.02).
Conclusion: There is a need of introducing labor companion system in our labor wards. Significant proportion of
women preferred their mothers as companions. Further exploratory and operational researches suggested to be done in
addressing providers, companion and programmatic issues to introduce policies and guidelines of labor support into
labor wards. [Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2007;21(1):35-39]