Abstract
BACKGROUND: As part of infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, labour companionship was suspended intermittently at public hospitals across Hong Kong. AIMS: The aim was to assess the impact of restricting labour companionship on intrapartum care and maternal and neonatal outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study comparing patients admitted for vaginal delivery with and without a labour companion. Deliveries during 1 February to 20 May and 17 July to 11 September 2020 ('alone group') were compared to deliveries during the same periods one year earlier when companionship was unrestricted ('accompanied group'). Outcomes were controlled for age, parity, body mass index, birth weight, education level and induction of labour. RESULTS: There were 651 and 491 deliveries in the accompanied and alone groups, respectively. Overall, physiological maternal and neonatal outcomes were not significantly different. Neonates in the alone group were more likely to have skin-to-skin contact delayed beyond 60 min after delivery (odds ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.45-1.51). None of these infants were exclusively breastfed at the time of discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a labour companion may encourage earlier initiation of skin-to-skin contact, which has been shown to improve bonding experience. However, families that have already been affected by previous restrictions can be provided some reassurance that physiological outcomes do not appear to be significantly different. In addition, interventions that encourage companion involvement, such as breathing exercises and massages, were not hindered, as midwives took on a greater role in supporting the parturient.