The birth companion scheme that was implemented at SAT hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on an experimental basis has been a huge success, according to the Kerala Health department
SAT hospital has been in recent times allowing a close family member or woman friend to accompany a pregnant woman to the labour room and to remain with her through the entire birthing process. Though this was initiated on an experimental basis, it has been much welcomed by women patients and their families who found it comforting to have a trusted companion with them throughout the labour.
The initiative was a hit also because the companion can directly interact with the doctors/nurses and seek information about the patient.
The birth companion initiative has thus been a confidence booster for pregnant women and their families. It also served to reduce the anxiety that families waiting outside the labour room go through and reduce friction in the busy hospital settings wherein information on patients might not be passed on to families at the appropriate time.
Labour room protocol
When getting admitted in the hospital for the delivery, the pregnant woman herself can choose the companion she wants to be with her in the labour room. The pregnant woman and her companion are then counselled on the labour room protocols and how the latter can help the pregnant woman.
SAT hospital recently secured the national quality certification under the Union Health Ministry’s Labour room Quality Improvement initiative, named LaQshya.
LaQshya was launched with the objective of reducing maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity due to complications during and immediately after delivery, to improve quality of care during the delivery and in the immediate post-partum period, to stabilise complications and ensure timely referrals and to enable an effective two-way follow-up system to provide “respectful maternity care” to all pregnant women.
In a statement here, Kerala Health Minister Veena George congratulated the team of doctors and hospital staff whose joint efforts made the birth companion initiative possible.
