Outcomes
birth companions, anxiety
DILATION, SECONDARY
The primary outcome was the chance of having a spontaneous vaginal delivery. The secondary outcomes were; the incidence of having a spontaneous vaginal delivery, length of labor, Apgar score, coping, anxiety and maternal satisfaction. Maternal anxiety and coping during labor are reported in another article and can be accessed at Sample size and randomization: The sample size for this trial was calculated based on the primary outcome (incidence of having a spontaneous vaginal delivery). The baseline rate for having a spontaneous delivery was 87%. We assumed that guiding birth companions on continuous labor support contributed to a 10% difference (minimally relevant difference between the two groups as 0.1). We set Alpha at 95% CI (0.05 = 1.96), β multiplier for 80% at 0.842. A sample size of 290 participants per period was calculated. The number of study participants was selected proportionately; that is, according to the patient volumes of the particular facilities. Approximately 12,500 women delivered during the study period including the 6 months break of the COVID-19 lockdown (see Fig. Maternal satisfaction across study periodsRandomization for stepped wedge trials is not performed individually but rather involves the crossover of clusters from control to intervention until all clusters are exposed [Data were collected from the woman’s labor clinical notes using a data abstraction form. The first part entailed the woman’s socio-demographic information and obstetrical information including; parity, weeks of gestation, status of membranes on admission and birth weight. The second part contained the time of admission and cervical dilation on admission, time of delivery, duration of 1