Table 7.

Providers’ perceptions of birth companionship at intervention sites among providers who allowed companionship

Opinion	During labor N = 83%	At time of birth N = 83%	Postpartum N = 83%
Why do you allow a woman to have a companion?
Helps provider with workload	65.1	58.3	27.8
Tells provider if change or problem (woman)	63.9	41.7	68.1
Gets woman what she needs	55.4	40.3	73.6
Gives woman emotional support	54.2	54.2	29.2
Helps woman feels more comfortable	51.8	47.2	26.4
Gives woman advice	28.9	34.7	22.2
Allows provider to be with other women	25.3	18.1	20.8
Facility policy allows it	18.1	27.8	9.7
Government policy allows it	1.2	0.0	0.0
Other	3.6	2.8	2.7
Helps care for the baby	NA	NA	68.1
Helps with breastfeeding	NA	NA	26.4
Tells provider if baby change/problem	NA	NA	55.6
Would you say that allowing companions has been satisfying or dissatisfying for you as a provider?
Very satisfying	92.8	87.5	88.9
A little satisfying	7.2	8.3	8.3
Neither satisfying nor dissatisfying	0.0	4.2	2.8
A little dissatisfying	0.0	0.0	0.0
Very dissatisfying	0.0	0.0	0.0
Would you say that allowing companions has been helpful or unhelpful for you as a provider?
Very helpful	91.6	83.3	90.3
A little helpful	8.4	9.7	6.9
Neither helpful nor unhelpful	3.6	6.9	2.8
A little unhelpful	1.2	0.0	0.0
Very unhelpful	0.0	0.0	0.0
Would you say that allowing companions has made it harder, has not changed your ability or has improved your ability to give good quality care?
Improved ability to give good quality care	92.8	86.1	88.9
Has not changed ability to give good quality care	7.2	13.9	11.1
Would you say that allowing companions has not met your expectations, met your expectations, or exceeded your expectations?
Exceeded expectations	25.3	20.8	16.7
Met expectations	71.1	76.4	80.6
Did not meet expectations	3.6	2.8	2.8

Source: providers survey, December 2018