Awareness and Desirability of Companionship in Labour among Pregnant Women attending Antenatal Clinic in Owo, South-West, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Labour is a stressful physical and psychological experience in a woman’s life, requiring optimal coping mechanisms. Companionship in labour provides such needed support in this vulnerable moment of women. The presence of a companion of the woman’s choice in labour improves her satisfaction with parturition.

General objective: To determine the awareness and desirability for companionship in labour of pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at a tertiary centre in Owo, South-West Nigeria.

Methods: An institutional based descriptive cross-sectional study of 292 antenatal clinic attendees in Owo. Participants were selected by systematic random sampling and data collected through interviewer-administered questionnaire, assessing their awareness and desirability for companionship in labour. The data was analysed using SPSS IBM version 24.0.

Results: A total number of 292 pregnant women with mean age 31.8years participated in the study. Most of the respondents (57.2%) were aware of companionship in labour, 88.7% had desire for companionship in labour though only 18% had companionship in their previous delivery (ies) or knew someone who had it before. All with companionship in their previous delivery (ies) were satisfied. Husband/partner is the most preferred companion in labour 64.4%. Majority (92%) desire to deliver their baby (ies) in a hospital where there is provision for a companion in labour. Most of those who desired to have their delivery at facilities with provision for companionship in labour (63.7%) would prefer it even at an additional cost of care.

Conclusion: Companionship in labour is evidently the intense aspiration of parturients. Majority of the participants desired companionship in labour but its utilization is low. Permitting women to have a companion of their choice during labour and delivery can be a cost-effective intervention to improve the quality of maternal care with positive birth experience.