Adolescent's Experiences of Doula Companion during Childbirth: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is considered a global health problem, and adolescent mothers need to receive comprehensive support during labor and delivery. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of doula companions on the childbirth experience of adolescent mothers. Methods: This trial study was conducted on 54 primigravid women under the age of 19 years referred to the Taleghani educational-treatment center affiliated with Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, from April to September, 2020. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (doula accompaniment) and control groups through block randomization using Random Allocation Software with block sizes of 4 and 6. The data were collected using the demographic and obstetric characteristics, Support and Control in Birth Questionnaire, Labor Agentry Scale, and the information in the labor progress record. The data were analyzed using SPSS 24. Independent t-test and ANCOVA were used. Results: The mean score of support and control in birth was 121 +/- 14.55 in the intervention group and 96.44 +/- 15.8 in the control group (p <0.001). After intervention and adjusting the effect of support and control in birth, no significant difference in childbirth experience was observed between the two groups (AMD: 1.40, 95% CI: -2.25 to 5.07, p = 0.44). Conclusion: Considering the effectiveness of the doula companion in improving the support and control in the birth of adolescent mothers, it is suggested to consider the doula support during labor and childbirth as one of the interventions to improve the quality of maternal health care among adolescents.