The Union Health Ministry has decided to allow birth companions during delivery in public health facilities. An official release said, the decision is aimed at reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio and Infant Mortality Rate. The release said, the presence of a female relative during labour is a low cost intervention that has proved to be beneficial to the women in labour.<br/><br/>The Ministry has proposed some pre-requisites for a birth companion. The birth companion has to be a female relative and preferably one who has undergone the process of labor. She should not suffer from any communicable diseases. She should wear clean clothes. She should be willing to stay with the pregnant woman throughout the process of labour. <br/><br/>She should not interfere in the work of hospital staff and the treatment procedures. She should not attend to other women in the labour room. In facilities where privacy protocols are followed in the labour room, the husband of the pregnant woman can be allowed as a birth companion.

The Union Health Ministry has decided to allow birth companions during delivery in public health facilities. An official release said, the decision is aimed at reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio and Infant Mortality Rate. 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.<br/><br/>The release said, the presence of a female relative during labour is a low cost intervention that has proved to be beneficial to the women in labour. The Ministry said, World Health Organization promotes labour companionship as a core element of care for improving maternal and infant health. The regional plan of action for maternal and neonatal health care includes the monitoring of maternal and foetal well-being, and encourages the presence of a companion to provide support during labour.