We studied the effects of a supportive lay woman ("doula") on the length of labor and on mother-infant interaction after delivery in healthy Guatemalan primigravid women. Initial assignment of mothers to the experimental (doula) or control group was random, but controls showed a higher rate (P less than 0.001) of subsequent perinatal problems (e.g. cesarean section and meconium staining). It was necessary to admit 103 mothers to the control group and 33 to the experimental group to obtain 20 in each group with uncomplicated deliveries. In the final sample, the length of time from admission to delivery was shorter in the experimental group (8.8 vs. 19.3 hours, P less than 0.001). Mothers who had a doula present during labor were awake more after delivery (P less than 0.02) and stroked (P less than 0.001), smiled at (P less than 0.009), and talked to (P less than 0.002) their babies more than the control mothers. These observations suggest that there may be major perinatal benefits of constant human support during labor.
This article has been cited by other articles:
Gungor, I., Beji, N. K.
(2007). Effects of Fathers' Attendance to Labor and Delivery on the Experience of Childbirth in Turkey. West J Nurs Res
29: 213-231
[Abstract]
Schroeder, C., Bell, J.
(2005). Labor Support for Incarcerated Pregnant Women: The Doula Project. The Prison Journal
85: 311-328
[Abstract]
Stein, M. T., Kennell, J. H., Fulcher, A.
(2004). Benefits of a Doula Present at the Birth of a Child. Pediatrics
114: 1488-1491
[Full Text]
Philip, A. G.S., Klaus, M., Kennell, J. H.
(2004). Historical Perspectives: Parents in the Preterm Nursery and Subsequent Evolution of Care. NeoReviews
5: e397-e405
[Full Text]
Balas, M. C., Gale, M., Kagan, S. H.
(2004). Delirium Doulas: An Innovative Approach to Enhance Care for Critically Ill Older Adults. Crit Care Nurse
24: 36-46
[Full Text]
Nageotte, M. P., Larson, D., Rumney, P. J., Sidhu, M., Hollenbach, K.
(1997). Epidural Analgesia Compared with Combined Spinal-Epidural Analgesia during Labor in Nulliparous Women. NEJM
337: 1715-1719
[Abstract][Full Text]
Cameron, R. P., Wells, J. D., Hobfoll, S. E.
(1996). Stress, Social Support and Coping in Pregnancy: Taking Gender and Ethnicity into Account. J Health Psychol
1: 195-208
[Abstract]
Barton, D. P. J.
(1991). Continuous Emotional Support During Labor. JAMA
266: 1509-1509
[Abstract]
Kennell, J., Klaus, M., McGrath, S., Robertson, S., Hinkley, C.
(1991). Continuous Emotional Support During Labor in a US Hospital: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA
265: 2197-2201
[Abstract]
McAnarney, E. R., Stevens-Simon, C.
(1990). Maternal Psychological Stress/Depression and Low Birth Weight: Is There a Relationship?. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med
144: 789-792
[Abstract]
Mor-Barak, M. E.
(1988). Support systems intervention in crisis situations: theory, strategies and a case illustration. International Social Work
31: 285-304
Goodwin, J. S., Hunt, W. C., Key, C. R., Samet, J. M.
(1987). The Effect of Marital Status on Stage, Treatment, and Survival of Cancer Patients. JAMA
258: 3125-3130
[Abstract]
Sarason, I. G., Sarason, B. R., Shearin, E. N., Pierce, G. R.
(1987). A Brief Measure of Social Support: Practical and Theoretical Implications. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
4: 497-510
[Abstract]
