Women’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina Faso
Plain Language Summary A labor companion is a person who supports a woman throughout labor and birth, typically a woman’s spouse/partner, family member, or friend. We were interested to explore if a labor companion throughout labor and birth was acceptable to women and health workers, and feasible t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Reproductive Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-023-01597-w |
| _version_ | 1797864538712834048 |
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| author | Fadima Yaya Bocoum Charles Paulin Kabore Saran Barro Roger Zerbo Simon Tiendrebeogo Claudia Hanson Alexandre Dumont Ana Pilar Betran Meghan A. Bohren |
| author_facet | Fadima Yaya Bocoum Charles Paulin Kabore Saran Barro Roger Zerbo Simon Tiendrebeogo Claudia Hanson Alexandre Dumont Ana Pilar Betran Meghan A. Bohren |
| author_sort | Fadima Yaya Bocoum |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plain Language Summary A labor companion is a person who supports a woman throughout labor and birth, typically a woman’s spouse/partner, family member, or friend. We were interested to explore if a labor companion throughout labor and birth was acceptable to women and health workers, and feasible to start doing for women in Burkina Faso. To achieve this objective, we interviewed 77 women, companions, and health workers about their beliefs and opinions about labor companions, and what might help or be a challenge to having companions. We also visited eight hospitals to understand what the labor ward looks like, and any policies about companions. We found that hospitals were allowing a ‘traditional model’ of companionship, allowing companions to accompany women only in the waiting and postnatal rooms (not during labor or birth). Both women and health workers believed that companionship during labor and birth would be helpful and desired, which might help to make it a reality for all women. We also identified some challenges, due to crowded labor rooms with limited privacy, and hospital rules that did not allow companionship. We found that sometimes a woman’s family would choose the companion, instead of the woman herself, which may mean the woman does not want this person present. We plan to use these findings to help us to develop a program that allows any woman to have a companion present during labor and birth, in a way that ensures that she chooses the companion, and the companion can support her well. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:53:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0f690fe202b444cdb88cc3e840bfe05d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1742-4755 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:53:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Reproductive Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-0f690fe202b444cdb88cc3e840bfe05d2023-03-22T11:23:30ZengBMCReproductive Health1742-47552023-03-0120111210.1186/s12978-023-01597-wWomen’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina FasoFadima Yaya Bocoum0Charles Paulin Kabore1Saran Barro2Roger Zerbo3Simon Tiendrebeogo4Claudia Hanson5Alexandre Dumont6Ana Pilar Betran7Meghan A. Bohren8Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéInstitut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéInstitut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéINSS-CNRST/LARISS et CEFORGRIS-UJKZ/IRL-3189 “Environnement Santé et Sociétés”Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéDepartment of Global Public Health, Karolinska InstitutetCEPED, Institute for Research on Sustainable Development, IRD-Université de Paris, ERL INSERM SAGESUDUNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/World Bank Special Program of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health OrganizationGender and Women’s Health Unit, Centre for Health Equity, School of Population and Global Health, University of MelbournePlain Language Summary A labor companion is a person who supports a woman throughout labor and birth, typically a woman’s spouse/partner, family member, or friend. We were interested to explore if a labor companion throughout labor and birth was acceptable to women and health workers, and feasible to start doing for women in Burkina Faso. To achieve this objective, we interviewed 77 women, companions, and health workers about their beliefs and opinions about labor companions, and what might help or be a challenge to having companions. We also visited eight hospitals to understand what the labor ward looks like, and any policies about companions. We found that hospitals were allowing a ‘traditional model’ of companionship, allowing companions to accompany women only in the waiting and postnatal rooms (not during labor or birth). Both women and health workers believed that companionship during labor and birth would be helpful and desired, which might help to make it a reality for all women. We also identified some challenges, due to crowded labor rooms with limited privacy, and hospital rules that did not allow companionship. We found that sometimes a woman’s family would choose the companion, instead of the woman herself, which may mean the woman does not want this person present. We plan to use these findings to help us to develop a program that allows any woman to have a companion present during labor and birth, in a way that ensures that she chooses the companion, and the companion can support her well.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-023-01597-wCompanionshipPolicyBarriersEnablersBurkina Faso |
| spellingShingle | Fadima Yaya Bocoum Charles Paulin Kabore Saran Barro Roger Zerbo Simon Tiendrebeogo Claudia Hanson Alexandre Dumont Ana Pilar Betran Meghan A. Bohren Women’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina Faso Reproductive Health Companionship Policy Barriers Enablers Burkina Faso |
| title | Women’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina Faso |
| title_full | Women’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina Faso |
| title_fullStr | Women’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina Faso |
| title_full_unstemmed | Women’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina Faso |
| title_short | Women’s and health providers’ perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth: a formative study for the implementation of WHO companionship model in Burkina Faso |
| title_sort | women s and health providers perceptions of companionship during labor and childbirth a formative study for the implementation of who companionship model in burkina faso |
| topic | Companionship Policy Barriers Enablers Burkina Faso |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-023-01597-w |
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