Pregnancy school education program in mother friendly training and research hospital impact on stress and anxiety.
Arzu Ayraler, Şebnem Alanya Tosun, Senem Özkök
Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira 2023 DOI: 10.1590/1806-9282.20230279 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Pregnant women over 18 years old at more than 20 weeks of pregnancy at a gynecology and pediatrics training and research hospital in Giresun, Turkey |
| Interventions | breathing exercises and pregnancy-related health issues |
| Duration | 4-week training; study conducted July 1, 2022 to December 1, 2023 |
| Measures | Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale, State Trait Anxiety Inventory |
| Topics | Anxiety |
| Key findings | Trait anxiety was significantly lower in women who received four weeks of prenatal training in meditation, breathing exercises, and pregnancy health, while state anxiety and pregnancy stress scores did not differ between trained and untrained groups. The authors report that employed women had lower state anxiety regardless of training, and suggest unemployed women and those with chronic diseases may need closer follow-up. |
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate prenatal education and its relationship with anxiety and stress in pregnant women. This research was carried out between July 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023, at Giresun Gynecology and Pediatrics Training and Research Hospital. Women aged >18 years at >20 weeks of pregnancy were included. Patients were randomized into two groups, and one group received a 4 week training on meditation, breathing exercises, and pregnancy-related health issues. A questionnaire was applied to both groups to analyze sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy, birth, medical history, the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. The groups were similar in terms of age, educational status, anthropometric characteristics, occupation, economic status, and gestational week. There was no difference between the trained and nontrained groups in terms of the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait was significantly lower in the trained group (p=0.033). There were weak positive correlations between Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score and medication use and between State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score and age. A negative correlation was found between the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state score and working status, showing that employed women had lower anxiety scores irrespective of training. Another weak positive correlation was found between the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait score and the presence of comorbidities. State Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait anxiety was lower in pregnant women who received training on prenatal meditation, exercise, and pregnancy health; however, State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state and Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale scores were similar in the two groups. Unemployed pregnant women and those with chronic diseases appear to need closer follow-up to reduce anxiety levels.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.