Pain management: Now, ‘birth companions’ to help pregnant women in labour room

The idea is to help women, especially those in their first pregnancy, bear the pain and reduce maternal mortality.

Birth companions will soon make pregnant women feel comfortable at the time of delivery in labour rooms.

Doctors say when a women goes for delivery, particularly for the first time, she is emotionally weak and in distress. (Ursiti Saini)

The idea is to help women, especially those in their first pregnancy, bear the pain and reduce maternal mortality.

“It’s a common practice in western countries where husbands remain beside women in labour room during delivery,” said Swapna Das, general manager (maternal health) National Health Mission, Uttar Pradesh. About 25 lakh deliveries take place in a year in Uttar Pradesh.

Letters have been issued to the chief medical officers (CMOs) of all the districts to examine how the plan could be implemented at all government health facilities where deliveries take place.

The CMOs will conduct meetings with doctors at health facilities where deliveries take place and finalise the process for selection of birth companions. The initiative is likely to start after June 15.

“Pregnant woman will choose one of the female members of her family as birth companion. She can be her mother, mother-in-law or anyone else,” Das said.

She said birth companions would not only make pregnant women comfortable but also take care of her after delivery. “She will be given necessary instructions on how to take care of the newborn and the mother,” Das added.