Views on spousal support during delivery: a Turkey experience

Abstract

BackgroundSpousal support is important during delivery since it satisfies the women and their spouses. Thus both women and their spouses should be included, where appropriate, in research on labour and birth. This descriptive study aimed to determine Turkish women’s and their spouses’ views on spousal support during delivery.MethodsThe study population included women who stayed in the postpartum unit of a hospital and gave birth vaginally to their first child between the thirty-seventh and forty-second week of pregnancy. It also included their spouses. The study sample included 170 couples. The data were collected using introductory information forms administered to women and their spouses. The data were analyzed using percentages, averages, the chi-square test and logistic regression modeling.ResultsThis study indicated that 67.6% of the women and 71.8% of women’s spouses were in favor of spousal support during delivery. It also suggested that the women with negative experiences of childbirth needed social support during delivery and demanded to receive more spousal support but could not receive this support from the healthcare personnel (p < 0.05). The logistic regression models revealed that the risk of demanding to receive spousal support during delivery was 9.4 times higher in the women who needed social support during delivery than those who do not.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that women’s spouses wanted to be included in the delivery process more than the women wanted them to be, and the women who could not receive the necessary support needed more spousal support.

Indicators of Spousal Support for Good Pregnancy Outcome among Women Attending Antenatal Clinic at Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

“…The mean age of pregnant women was 30.1 ± 5.6 years and their ages ranged between 26-35 years. This was quite similar to a study that revealed that 71.2% of the respondents' age ranged between 20 and 30 years [13] and another study whose respondents' mean age was 34 years [14] .The finding indicated that pregnant women are still in their reproductive age.…”

“…This was in line with the outcome of a study reported by [21] It was also reported that 49.9% of the respondents specified that physical support only was the major role that was perceived as needful during pregnancy (21) . 49.7% of the respondents indicated that spiritual support only was the major role perceived to be needful during labour and after delivery while financial support (60.3%) was the major role perceived to be needful in newborn care.Another study revealed that 86% of the respondents specified that they needed emotional support while 14% of them indicated that they needed physical support from their spouses during the period of delivery [13]. Furthermore, a study quoted that different types of spousal support to be given to pregnant women include emotional, physical, financial, spiritual and psychological support during pregnancy, labour, period and after delivery [14].…”

Prevalence and determinants of mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact in The Gambia: a secondary data analysis

“…The strain in delivery, social distress, and family burden can be a major concern for women [ 36 ], and prevent uptake of SSC. Furthermore, spousal support could in no small measure enhance the uptake of SSC [ 37 ]. For example, in a previous study, husbands whose wives utilized skilled delivery care provided instrumental, emotional, and informational support to their wives during delivery and understood that medical support was paramount in positive childbirth outcome [ 38 ].…”

The validity and reliability study of the first-time fathers questionnaire in Turkish

“…Childbirth is an important experience in which parents gain a new role in their lives. Professional assistance during labour can help women feel in control and able to deal with the pain of labour, which can help avoid unwanted childbirth experiences [ 1 ]. A family member, friend, midwife, or partner can offer company and support throughout labour [ 2 ].…”

“…A family member, friend, midwife, or partner can offer company and support throughout labour [ 2 ]. The approach of labour companionship was introduced to Türkiye over the last three decades [ 1 ]. Labour companionship by fathers has become an increasingly common practice in resource-rich regions [ 3 ].…”