Apropos letter by AG Abeywickrema, in The Island of 22nd April 2008 with the caption "Husband in labour rooms"- the presence of the husband in our labour rooms at the moment of delivery of the baby is nothing new. The practice has gone on, perhaps from the time our state maternity service was started. But the deciding factor was who the labouring woman was. If a doctor’s wife, a lady doctor, a nurse or a mid-wife or for that matter if she was in any way connected to a member of the hospital staff, she enjoyed special privileges, including having the husband and sometimes even the mother or mother-in-law, by the bedside, in the labour room. This was irrespective of the concerns of the other less fortunate women in the labour ward.

The concern of AGA over the proposed policy decision of the Health Ministry to permit the husband to be present at the delivery seem to be that a facility enjoyed by a privileged section of society is to be extended to the common folk. It has always been the practice of the privileged class to raise a cry whenever anything enjoyed by them is made available to the ordinary man. Thus the concerns of AGA and the like are understandable.

Let me take the arguments put forward by AGA one by one.

1. He says that our husbands have ‘no time to attend counseling sessions’; on the contrary, our experience is that if a counseling service is available, they are ready to attend. For the past 12 years we have been conducting Parent craft sessions (these were started at Castle Street Hospital for Women in 1996) and they are well patronized. So far we have held 176 counseling sessions in different parts of the country, both in the Sinhala and theTamil language.

2. He addresses the question of ‘privacy’. No doubt our labour rooms are multi-bedded and invariably more than one labouring mother at any given time. Surely has he not observed that these beds are always separated by curtains and there is always privacy for the mothers when these curtains are properly drawn down? Even one of the pictures accompanying his letter shows the husband comfortably seated at the head end of the bed and enjoying a moment of happiness with the wife. Could this infringe on the privacy of another couple if the curtains are properly placed?

However, all these issues of privacy are of no consideration when the labouring woman belongs to the privileged class.

3. He raises the issue of ‘inebriated lads’. This kind is present in every strata of any society.

Perhaps AGA does not know that a good number of prospective fathers who have attended our counseling sessions have given up not only drinking, but also smoking and even other forms of vice, and eventually turned out to be good and caring husbands and good fathers.

The fact that these husbands willingly attend the counseling sessions along with their wives has enabled instilling in them a sense of equal responsibility and total commitment to the pregnancy, child birth and even child raring. It helps ensure equity for women - a fundamental concept in any decent society. The husbands have many queries that need answers and the counseling sessions afford a forum for them to sort these out. In fact our experience is that most questions at these sessions are posed by husbands rather than by their wives.

4. His final argument is about ‘personal idiosyncrasies’. Aren’t these prevalent in every strata of human society?

Now for the main advantages of the husband’s presence in the delivery suite;

1. Ensures mental balance of the labouring woman. Many a woman is seen crying out in labour; this is not due to the pain alone, but mainly due to fear of a situation not experienced before. A medical attendant on the spot may reassure her but what better person than her life’s partner, whose presence will allay fear and anxiety and make her better prepared for the oncoming delivery.

A frightened and anxious woman is not likely to produce the best uterine contraction needed to push the baby out; this depends on the release of a hormone from the Hypothalamo-Pituitary axis which is invariably influenced by her emotional state. Thus the presence of the husband, by ensuring her emotional well-being would most likely bring about an enhancing effect on the process of labour, a welcome situation for all parties concerned.

2. The husband who is on the spot sees the hive of activity that goes on in the labour ward and would see for himself with what diligence the staff looks after his wife. This would not only result in appreciation of the rendered services but also avoid unnecessary petitioning and allegations of neglect or misconduct.

3. Both the husband and wife would be able to share the joy of the birth, and if the traditional cup of coffee given to the mother is given to the husband too, then they could enjoy a few moments of supreme joy in their lives, sipping the coffee together. An unforgettable experience of this nature would give them fresh hope and added strength to their bonds of matrimony and shared life as equal partners, both in private and public life.

Thus we can surmise the many advantages of enlisting the support of the husband by inviting him into the clinics, counseling sessions and be a helpful partner during delivery. This is likely to have a snowballing effect on the very fabric of our society resulting in good parents, good children, a pleasant home, a conducive society, and a pleasant, conducive New Land!

Honourable Minister Sir, contrary to the opinion of AGA, your well-intentioned proposal is long overdue; it is indeed very practicable and in need of urgent implementation. Do not let anyone disrupt its implementation; after all, all health workers were educated by the people of this country and are being paid for by them. It is up to each and every such individual to find ways and means of implementing smoothly a progressive policy of this nature. I do not deny that there may be a few teething problems, but none insurmountable. It is the sacred duty of every one concerned to put his/her shoulder to the wheel, and assist the ministry to implement proposals aimed at uplifting the life of the common man.