Women's attitudes towards psychosocial support in labour in United Arab Emirates

The objective of this study was to determine women's attitudes and preferences regarding psychosocial support during childbirth in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A consecutive sample of 400 mothers with singleton normal pregnancies delivered vaginally during 2 months was interviewed postpartum about their experience and satisfaction with supportive care during labour using structured questionnaire.

Birth attendant continuously accompanied 237 (59.3%) participants including mother (59.5%), sister (31.2%), friend (7.2%), other family member (1.3%) or husband (0.8%). Preference in the no-companion group (n=163, 40.7%) was health professional (56.4%), mother (25.8%), sister (16.6%) or husband (1.2%). Labour was significantly shorter (P<0.0001) with less need for analgesia (P<0.0001), oxytocin augmentation (P<0.0001) and neonatal intensive care (P=0.03) in the companion group. Rates of instrumental delivery, episiotomy and perineal tear were similar in both groups. Three hundred and fifty (87.5%) subjects felt that psychosocial support during childbirth is essential and best provided by non-professional attendant (companion group) or midwife/obstetrician (no-companion group). 59.3% and 19.7% of mothers, respectively, reported less satisfaction and negative feelings about their perinatal experience that was more frequent in the no-companion group (P=0.001, P<0.0001; respectively).

Perceptions, experiences and outcomes of companion support during childbirth in UAE, although relatively less available, are therefore not different from those described elsewhere.