Health Ministry allows Birth Companions during Delivery in Public Health facilities

In an innovative move aimed at reduction in Maternal Mortality Ratio and Infant Mortality Rate, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken a significant decision to allow birth companions during delivery in public health facilities. While several measures have been taken up by the Ministry over the years aimed in reduction in MMR and IMR, this step signifies India’s commitment under SDGs to further accelerate initiatives with specific focus on quality parameters of the interventions.

Birth companions are women who have experienced the process of labour and provide continuous one – to – one support to other women experiencing labour and child birth. The presence of a female relative during labour is a low cost intervention that has proved to be beneficial to the women in labour. Birth companions provide emotional support (continuous reassurance), information about labour progress and advice regarding coping techniques, comfort measures (comforting touch, massages, promoting adequate fluid intake and output), and advocacy (helping the woman articulate her wishes to the other).

Pre-requisites for a birth companion