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When a woman has access to trusted emotional, psychological and practical support\u00a0during labour and childbirth, evidence shows that both her experience of childbirth and her health outcomes can improve.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The current COVID-19 pandemic is no exception.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
WHO\u00a0Clinical management of COVID-19: interim guidance<\/a>\u00a0strongly recommends that all pregnant women, including those with suspected, probable or confirmed COVID-19, have access to a companion of choice during labour and childbirth.<\/p>\n The importance of\u00a0a chosen companion during\u00a0labour\u00a0and childbirth\u00a0\u2013 latest evidence\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Again and again,\u00a0research shows<\/a>\u00a0that women greatly value and benefit from the presence of someone they trust during labour and childbirth.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A companion of choice can\u00a0give support in\u00a0practical and emotional\u00a0ways.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n They can\u00a0bridge\u00a0communication gaps\u00a0between a woman in labour and the healthcare workers around her, offer\u00a0massage or\u00a0hand-holding\u00a0to help relieve pain, and provide reassurance to help her feel in control. As an advocate, a labour companion can witness and safeguard against\u00a0mistreatment or neglect<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The benefits of labour companionship can also include shorter length of time in\u00a0labour, decreased\u00a0caesearean\u00a0section and more positive health indicators for babies in the first five minutes after birth.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n WHO is committed to improving women\u2019s\u00a0and newborns\u2019\u00a0experience of care\u00a0as an integral component of better\u00a0maternal and newborn health, and to helping countries put evidence-based\u00a0global\u00a0guidance into\u00a0practice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The new\u00a0Companion of choice<\/a>\u00a0updates a\u00a02016\u00a0version<\/a>\u00a0with\u00a0an expanded section on implementing companionship during labour and childbirth. It includes a logic model to support the integration of labour companions into maternal care\u00a0programmes, and case studies from Egypt, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic showing\u00a0design and implementation in practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFrom global actors to professional organizations, healthcare providers to community networks and\u00a0womens\u2019 groups, everyone has a role to play in advocating for labour companions\u00a0\u2013\u00a0and for ensuring every\u00a0women\u00a0has a right to a companion of her choice to support her during labour and\u00a0childbirth.\u00a0<\/strong>Our experience from implementation research shows that women, communities, health\u00a0workers and management can be engaged to transform health services and find labour companionship solutions<\/strong>,\u201d\u00a0said Annie\u00a0Portela, Technical Officer in the WHO\u00a0Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Many countries do not yet have policies in\u00a0favour\u00a0of\u00a0labour\u00a0companionship, and many healthcare facilities do not allow women to have a companion.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Raising awareness, engaging in discussion, and providing physical infrastructure such as curtains for privacy and a chair for the companion, are all important steps for ensuring every woman can have a chosen birth companion if she wants one.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\nImplementing\u00a0labour\u00a0companionship as part of respectful maternal and newborn care\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n