Effects of Antenatal Education on Fear of Birth, Depression, Anxiety, Childbirth Self-efficacy, and Mode of Delivery in Primiparous Pregnant Women

Effects of Antenatal Education on Fear of Birth, Depression, Anxiety, Childbirth Self-efficacy, and Mode of Delivery in Primiparous Pregnant Women

Background: Caesarean delivery rates are quite high, especially in primipara, in Turkey. Fear of birth, low childbirth self-efficacy, and psychological factors may be among the primary causes. Since antenatal educations are not universal and there are differences in educational contents, there is not sufficient evidence on this topic in international studies.

Objective: To investigate the effects of antenatal education on birth fear, depression, anxiety, stress, childbirth self-efficacy, and mode of delivery in primiparous pregnant women.

Background: Caesarean delivery rates are quite high, especially in primipara, in Turkey. Fear of birth, low childbirth self-efficacy, and psychological factors may be among the primary causes. Since antenatal educations are not universal and there are differences in educational contents, there is not sufficient evidence on this topic in international studies.

Objective: To investigate the effects of antenatal education on birth fear, depression, anxiety, stress, childbirth self-efficacy, and mode of delivery in primiparous pregnant women.

Design: A single-blind, prospective, randomized controlled trial. Setting and Participants: The study was conducted in a province in Central Anatolia region in Turkey, and the data were collected between April 2019 and September 2019. Randomized block assignment was used to assign 120 primiparous pregnant women to either the antenatal education group (n = 60) or the control group (n = 60). At the end of the study, 112 women were evaluated.

Measurements: Those in the antenatal education group received two-hour (240 min) educational sessions, twice a week, for 4 weeks. Data were collected by demographic and labor outcomes information form, The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (Version A and B), Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women (between 20 and 32 gestation weeks),
• Healthy,
• Nulliparous with singleton pregnancies,
• Older than 18 years.
• Involved giving birth at full term,
• Having a healthy newborn (born at 38-42 weeks of gestation)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women taking medication for a diagnosed mental illness (e.g., antidepressants, antianxiety or antipsychotic medication),
• Women with complicated or high- risk pregnancies,
• Anticipating or experiencing a perinatal death (e.g., congenital abnormality incompatible) or stillbirth,
• Having experienced no postnatal complications (hemorrhage, puerperal infection, mastitis, thromboembolic disease or postpartum psychiatric disorder).