Support from a close female relative in labour: the ideal maternity nursing intervention in Thailand

Childbirth is a significant event in the lives of women and their families. It is a critical time in the human development that transforms women into mothers. Women remember their childbirth for the rest of their lives. Thus, the quality of support that women receive during labour and delivery is important and nurses need to be concerned. Previously, women were delivered at homes; they received emotional support from female relatives. Now women give birth in hospitals; they are separated from their families. Although nurses are adept at providing physical and emotional support, they may have to care for several other women. Nurses sometimes may give support to an individual woman a low priority because they have various clinical responsibilities and paper work. It may create womens' experience emotional loneliness and deal with labour pain and in unfamiliar environment alone. These situations can contribute negative effects on childbirth outcomes. Having a close female relative to support a woman in labour can reduce maternal stress and anxiety and improve childbirth outcomes. The present article provides guidelines for including a close female relative on the labour unit to support a woman during labour and delivery.