5. Conclusions
active labor, birth companions, anxiety, pain
Our results suggest that midwives providing an orientation on continuous labor support lowers women’s anxiety and enhances their ability to cope with pain during early active labor. Findings from this study may be of benefit in informing the development of protocols for the implementation of the presence of birth companions in similar low-resource settings. Future evaluation of the intervention is necessary to assess the effect of additional orientation during the antenatal period. An evaluation of the acceptability and perceptions of midwives regarding guiding or orienting birth companions is essential for implementation. Women’s experience of care during childbirth is key, and organized involvement of birth companions could improve women’s experience of care and consequently their health and future reproductive decisions.