The Effect of Affirmation-Based Podcast Education on Fear of Childbirth and Ruminative Thoughts in Pregnant Women
The Effect of Affirmation-Based Podcast Education on Fear of Childbirth and Ruminative Thoughts in Pregnant Women
This study examined the effect of affirmation-based podcast training on fear of childbirth and ruminative thoughts among pregnant women. A randomized controlled design was used, and the study sample consisted of 120 pregnant women (60 in the intervention group and 60 in the control group) who applied to a Family Health Center in Istanbul between February and April 2025. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Pregnant Woman Information Form, the Visual Analog Score, the Fear of Childbirth Scale, and the Positive-Negative Rumination Score. The intervention group listened to affirmation-based podcast recordings for 21 days, while no intervention was applied to the control group. The primary objective was to evaluate the effect of podcast training on fear of childbirth and ruminative thoughts.
İnclusion Criteria:
Pregnant women Aged 18-45 years Turkish citizens Having a fear of childbirth score ≥5 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Having access to a device to listen to the podcast and download audio files Willing to participate in the study
Exclusion Criteria:
History of abortion or miscarriage Currently undergoing or previously underwent in vitro fertilization (İVF) treatment Presence of chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension) Presence of psychiatric disorders (e.g., major depression, psychosis) İnability to complete the intervention or follow-up assessments