The effect of emotional support on maternal oxytocin levels in labouring women

Abstract

Objective: The presence of a supportive companion to women in labour has been found to reduce the duration of labour and the incidence of oxytocin augmentation. The mechanism which produces this improvement is unknown but work in animals suggests that environmental disturbance produces changes in endogenous oxytocin secretion. This study was carried out to assess maternal oxytocin secretion in relation to the presence of a supportive companion in labour.

Study design: A randomised controlled trial involving allocation of unsupported women in the first stage of labour to a period of 1 h with a supportive companion or 1 h without. Sixteen women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies who were in the active phase of the first stage of labour were studied. Maternal oxytocin levels were assayed by radioimmunoassay for 16 min (eight specimens) before and after the support or control period.

Results: There are no differences between maternal oxytocin levels in the two groups of patients. There was no difference in either of the two groups between the oxytocin levels pre and post the support/control period.

Conclusions: One hour of birth support in the first stage of labour did not improve maternal oxytocin levels when compared to a control group.