title: Saudi womens acceptance and attitudes towards companion support during labor: should we implement an antenatal awareness program?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the known benefits of support during chilbirth, most hospitals in Saudi Arabia do not allow a companion during labor. This can be due to cultural beliefs among pregnant Saudi women. The aims of this study are to describe Saudi women's preferences towards supportive companions during labor and to explore their attitudes and knowledge about the importance of support during childbirth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study conducted in three governmental tertiary hospitals within Riyadh.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women who consented were interviewed during their postpartum hospital stay using a validated standardized Arabic questionnaire. Participants were asked about their preferences and attitudes towards companions during childbirth, as well as about their knowledge on the importance of such support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 402 women who participated in the study, 182 women (45.3%) preferred the presence of a companion during childbirth and only 57 of all interviewed women (14.2%) had ever had a supportive companion during any of their previous childbirths. The mother (58%) or husband (51%) was the most preferred person as a childbirth companion. Age, level of educational, or antenatal, intrapartum or postpartum status had no impact on their decision. However, women who had some sort of antenatal educational classes and/or read educational material about childbirth were more likely to prefer support during labor. More than one-third of participants (35.9%) thought that having a companion as support during labor would not help, but the most common reason for not preferring to have a companion was their fear of being exposed most of the time to their companion (64.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant percentage of surveyed Saudi women preferred not to have a supportive companion during childbirth. The reason might be a lack of understanding of the positive role of a companion during childbirth or because of cultural beliefs. Education of women during their antenatal care about the importance and the implementation of such a practice are warranted.
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. halmandeel@ksu.edu.sa
authors: Hazem Mahmoud
authors: HM
authors: Al-Mandeel
authors: Auroabah Saad
authors: AS
authors: Almufleh
authors: Al-Jawhara Talal
authors: AJ
authors: Al-Damri
authors: Dana Ahmed
authors: DA
authors: Al-Bassam
authors: Eman Abdullah
authors: EA
authors: Hajr
authors: Nora Ahmed
authors: NA
authors: Bedaiwi
authors: Sara Mohammad
authors: SM
authors: Alshehri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers