The effect of the absence of an accompanying person at birth on the basic perinatal outcomes - a randomized study during the lockdown in the COVID epidemic.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of an accompanying person on the basic parameters of perinatal outcome [e.g. length of stages of labour, proportion of Caesarean sections (CS), vaginal surgical delivery, perineal injury, Abgar score, epidural analgesia] were analysed.

Material And Methods: A retrospective single-institution study analysed data from 872 deliveries during three periods: March, 2020 ( COVID-19 government restriction on accompanying person), February, 2020 (control 1) and March, 2019 (control 2).

Results: In all, 872 deliveries were evaluated. There was no delivery with accompanying person in group 1 and 181 and 254 in groups 2 and 3. Groups were balanced in caesarean section rate. There were more acute CS in the group 1 than in the group 3 (36% vs 25%, p = 0.028), however there were no diferrence when compared with the group 2 (36% vs 33%, p = 0.602). No difference was found in the length of the labour between the groups. There was no difference in Apgar score in 5th or 10th minute either and also in the incidence of perineal tear IIIrd grade.

Conclusions: The absence of accompanying person or father at the delivery does not affect the the basic parameters of perinatal outcome. This finding provides more freedom in the mother's decision about the presence of an accompanying person at the birth. And also may be an argument for reducing the remorse (bad feelings) of fathers who cannot or do not want to be present at birth.