[Doula--a new concept in obstetrics].

We wanted to study the effect of extra emotional support in the form of a non-professional woman (doula) before and during delivery. About 200 primiparae were invited to participate in a prospective study which intended to assess differences in delivery outcome between women with and without a doula. Fifty-four declined to participate, 55 had a delivery with doula and 46 were controls.