* less likely to have an epidural or other “regional” analgesia
* less likely to use any type of pain medication (including narcotics)
* less likely to give birth by cesarean section
* less likely to give birth with vacuum extraction or forceps
* less likely to be dissatisfied with or give a negative rating to their childbirth experience

(Hodnett and colleagues 2004.  source: www.childbirthconnection.org)

*** Various systematic reviews have looked at the impact of continuous labor support under different conditions.  Several reviews have found that the type of person providing the care appears to make a difference. Labor support provided by caregivers who come to the labor setting expressly to provide this care appears to offer women more benefits than labor support provided by nurses or other clinical caregivers from that setting (Hodnett and colleagues 2004, Simkin and O'Hara 2002, Scott and colleagues 1999).