Who may accompany the parturient to the delivery room?

To assess the association of the attendant of the parturient (husband or mother or both), on labor duration, mode of delivery, maternal and neonatal complications.

A retrospective cohort study, over a 4-year period, of women admitted to the delivery room accompanied by their husband, their mother or both. Medical records were reviewed for demographic, medical and obstetrical history.

Overall, 3029 patients were included, 2192 were accompanied by their husband; 127 were accompanied by their mother and 710 were accompanied by both. Women accompanied by their husbands were significantly older and more likely to be multiparous than women accompanied by their mother (30.2 years vs. 27.8 years, P < 0.001 and 60% vs. 48.8%, P = 0.02, respectively). Compared to women supported during labor by their mothers, women supported only by their husbands spent less hours in the delivery room (from admission to delivery) (11.1 h vs. 13.7 h, P = 0.02). While the nature of the attendant had no influence on the mode of delivery among nulliparous women (p = 0.13), multiparous women supported by the mothers had a significantly higher rate of cesarean delivery compared to those supported only by their husband or by both (OR = 2.07, 95% CI = [1.317-3.246], P = 0.002, OR = 3.33, 95% CI = [1.623-6.849],  P = 0.001, respectively).

Women supported by their mothers during labor have a longer second stage of labor, a decreased rate of vaginal delivery and an increased risk for cesarean delivery compared to women supported by their husbands. Future large prospective studies are needed to confirm our observation and to find causative affect.