After obtaining written informed consent, the data collection form, Spielberger State Anxiety Scale and visual analogue scale scoring scale were applied to both groups by face to face interview during the day giving appointment for hysterosalpingography. Immediately after the questionnaires were applied, the nurse gave individual education and counseling were giving by the nurse researcher to intervention group for 30 minutes. This education consisted of the definition and the purpose of hysterosalpingography, when and how it was applied, in what cases it was applied, whether it was a painful procedure, possible side effects and additional benefits of infertility treatment

Participants in the control group received standard care (verbal information about procedure and a short written information about the procedure) and no intervention (education and counseling) was performed. Both groups were re-evaluated using the same scales after the hysterosalpingography. Within 5 minutes of completing the hysterosalpingography procedure, participants were asked to evaluate their pain in order to characterize pain intensity using the visual analogue scale .

After obtaining informed consent, the data collection form, Spielberger State Anxiety Scale and VAS scoring scale were applied to both groups by face to face interview during the day giving appointment for HSG. Immediately after the questionnaires were answered, individual education and counseling were giving by the nurse researcher to intervention group for 30 minutes. In addition, the education and counseling given to the participants by the researcher was repeated briefly on the morning of the HSG procedure and any questions of the patients were answered.

After completing the HSG procedure, participants filled out the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale.

The Spielberger state anxiety scale was developed in 1964 by Spielberger. There are 20 statements in the scale that individuals can use to express their feelings. The State Scale measures the level of anxiety related to the situation and has been scored by four options for each expression. These are: "None" (1), "Slightly" (2), "Many" (3), "Completely" (4). The statements in this section are divided directly and reversed. Reversed statements are 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, and 20.

The total score of the expressions which are reversed from the total score of the direct expressions and adding the number 50 which is the constant value of the state anxiety scale. Spielberger and his colleagues stated that 0-19 points obtained from the scale meant "no anxiety", 20-39 points meant "light", 40-59 points meant "medium", 60-79 points meant "heavy anxiety".

After completing the HSG procedure, participants were asked to evaluate their pain in order to characterize pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Patients indicated the maximum pain intensity experienced during the HSG by making a vertical line on the VAS.

A standard ten-point visual analogue scale (VAS) of 0 to 10 was designed and used to assess the patients' perceptions of discomfort during the procedure. A high score on the scale indicated a high level of discomfort and a score of 0 denoted no discomfort at all. Patients indicate the degree of pain they feel between 0-10.