[Study on the families' participation need for women in labor]

This study was done to suggest basic modifications in the present situation for the family of women in labour which is a separation management method. The study design was a descriptive study. The number of the subjects were 80. They were husbands, mothers in law, and mothers of women in labour who were full term and for whom there were no complications, either for the mother or the fetus. Data collection was done with a structured questionnaire which was analyzed using frequencies. The results were as follows, 1. Most of the subjects (95.0%) wanted to participate in the labour process. 2. The subjects wanted to support the women in labour by way of encouraging (95.0%), consoling (95.0%), listening to (75.0%), praying with (68.8%), hand holding (97.5%), stroking (63.8%), helping with respiration control (50.0%), maintaining relaxation (46.3%), changing position (58.8%), and illustration (58.8%). 3. The subjects answered that they expected their participation to have the effect of an easier labour course (52.5%), security for the women in labour (95.0%), and providing a better relationship between the women in labour (66.3%) and the new baby (55.0%). 4. The priority of the response as to who is the best supporter was husband, and mother of the women in labour in that order. It can be concluded that nurses maintained a management method which ignored the needs of the families of women in labour. If given consideration is to be given to these subjects, future programs should initiate ways to let the families participate in the labour process.