Satisfaction of companions with the experience of supporting the parturient at a university hospital

Odaléa Maria Brüggemann,Joyce Green Koettker,Manuela Beatriz Velho,Juliana Jacques Da Costa Monguilhott,Marisa Monticelli

doi:10.1590/0104-07072015004220014

Abstract

A cross-sectional study that aimed to assess the satisfaction of companions with the experience of supporting the parturient, and to identify the related factors. Data were collected at a university hospital in Southern Brazil, by means of semi-structured interviews with 314 caregivers, between October of 2009 and January of 2010. The satisfaction scores were determined by the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney tests estimated the related factors. The mean satisfaction of the companions was high in three domains: 1) How the woman and the newborn were cared for (92,6; SD=11.5), 2) Welcoming in each place (89,9; SD=12.9), and 3) Explanation about what was happening (88,9; SD=14.1). The educational level was statistically related to the satisfaction in domain 3, not being present in the delivery room was statistically related to domain 1, and not receiving instructions from the physician regarding his role was statistically related to domain 2. The companions manifested high satisfaction with the experience of providing support to the women.

Highlights

Support during labor and delivery has been highlighted as a useful practice that should be stimulated
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), support can be provided by a person within the social network of the woman, and/or by someone trusted by the woman, i.e., her partner, a nurse, a friend or a female companion.[1]
The objective of this study was to assess the satisfaction of the companions regarding the experience of supporting the parturient in the obstetrical center (OC) of a university hospital (UH) in southern Brazil, and to identify the factors associated with satisfaction

Summary

Introduction

Support during labor and delivery has been highlighted as a useful practice that should be stimulated. The benefits of the partner’s presence are known to reduce the length of time in labor, the use of medications and analgesia, and the number of operative deliveries and neonatal depression[1,2]. It is known that women’s satisfaction with the experience of labor and birth is greater when they have someone present to give them support.[3] Even when companions have no previous training, their presence is able to offer the necessary emotional support, providing security by means of words and gestures of affection and comfort.[3,4,5] A systematic review published in the Cochrane Library, which analyzed 22 randomized controlled trials with 15,288 women, showed that women in the intervention group (with continued support) more frequently had spontaneous delivery (without the use of forceps, vacuum or need for a cesarean section), less frequently used intrapartum analgesia, were more satisfied, had a reduction in labor time; and their newborns (NBs) had a lower frequency of low five-minute Apgar, suggesting that all parturients should receive continuous support.[2]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion