Dataset Information

Comparing the effect of in-person and virtual childbirth preparation trainings on the fear of childbirth (FOC) and pregnancy experience of pregnant women: protocol for a quasi-experimental feasibility study

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childbirth preparation trainings are an important component of prenatal education, and pregnant women are increasingly interested in seeking information from online sources. The aim of this study is to compare the feasibility and the effects of in-person and virtual childbirth preparation training courses on the pregnancy experience, fear of childbirth (FOC), birth preference, and type of delivery among pregnant women.

Methods

In total, 165 primiparous women referring to a prenatal clinic at Milad Hospital in Tehran, will be included in this study. The subjects will be selected using the convenience sampling method and will be divided into three groups of study A, study B, and control. The study groups A and B will receive virtual and in-person childbirth training with similar content, respectively. The control group will receive only routine prenatal care. In the 18th and 20th weeks of pregnancy, the demographic information, pregnancy experience scale (PES), and version A of the Wijma delivery expectancy/experience questionnaire (WDEQ-A) will be completed, and in the 36th and 38th weeks of pregnancy, the PES and WDEQ-A questionnaires, as well as birth preference form will be completed. The type of delivery will be recorded in the first few days of postpartum.

Conclusion

This quasi-experimental clinical trial will investigate the effect of virtual childbirth preparation training on primiparous women. The expected outcomes will include the difference in pregnancy experience measured by the brief version of PES, the difference in FOC measured by WDEQ-A, the birth preference, and the type of delivery.

Trial registration

IRCT.ir: IRCT20180427039436N2;

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40814-021-00933-w.

SUBMITTER: Mousavi S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8570014 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:In resource-limited settings, childbirth remains a matter of life and death. High levels of childbirth fear in primigravid women are inevitable. To date, few studies have explored interventions to reduce childbirth fear in primigravid women. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of companion-integrated childbirth preparation (C-ICP) during late pregnancy for reducing childbirth fear and improving childbirth self-efficacy, birth companion support, and other selected pregnancy outcomes in primigravid women. METHODS:A quasi-experimental study was carried out using a non-equivalent control group design to recruit a sample of 70 primigravid women in hospital maternity waiting homes in the intervention and control groups, with 35 in each group. The primigravid women and their birth companions in the intervention group received two sessions of companion-integrated childbirth preparation, whereas the control group received routine care. A questionnaire that incorporated the childbirth attitude questionnaire (CAQ), the childbirth self-efficacy inventory (CBSEI), the birth companion support questionnaire (BCSQ), and a review checklist of selected pregnancy outcomes was used to collect data. Pretest and post-test data were analyzed using simple linear regression. Beta coefficients were adjusted at a 95% confidence interval with statistical significance set at a P-value of <?0.05 using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25. RESULTS:At pretest, mean scores were similar in the intervention and control groups. At post-test, being in the intervention group significantly decreased childbirth fears (?: =?-?.866, t (68)?=?-?14.27, p?<?.001) and significantly increased childbirth self-efficacy (?: = .903, t (68)?=?17.30, p?<?.001). In addition, being in the intervention group significantly increased birth companion support (?: =?-?0.781, t (68)?=?10.32, p?<?.001). However, no statistically significant differences regarding pregnancy outcomes were observed between the study groups (Mann-Whiney U test, p?>?.05). CONCLUSION:The findings of our study suggest that C-ICP is a promising intervention to reduce childbirth fear while increasing childbirth self-efficacy and maternal support. We recommend the inclusion of C-ICP for primigravid women during late pregnancy in resource-limited settings.

Project description:Background: Approximately 3% of women develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after giving birth, and 7.5% of pregnant women show a pathological fear of childbirth (FoC). FoC or childbirth-related PTSD during (a subsequent) pregnancy can lead to a request for an elective caesarean section as well as adverse obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. For PTSD in general, and several subtypes of specific phobia, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has been proven effective, but little is known about the effects of applying EMDR during pregnancy. Objective: To describe the protocol of the OptiMUM-study. The main aim of the study is to determine whether EMDR therapy is an effective and safe treatment for pregnant women with childbirth-related PTSD or FoC. In addition, the cost-effectiveness of this approach will be analysed. Method: The single-blind OptiMUM-study consists of two two-armed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with overlapping design. In several hospitals and community midwifery practices in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, all eligible pregnant women with a gestational age between eight and 20 weeks will be administered the Wijma delivery expectations questionnaire (WDEQ) to asses FoC. Multiparous women will also receive the PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) to screen for possible PTSD. The clinician administered PTSD scale (CAPS-5) will be used for assessing PTSD according to DSM-5 in women scoring above the PCL-5 cut-off value. Fifty women with childbirth-related PTSD and 120 women with FoC will be randomly allocated to either EMDR therapy carried out by a psychologist or care-as-usual. Women currently undergoing psychological treatment or women younger than 18 years will not be included. Primary outcome measures are severity of childbirth-related PTSD or FoC symptoms. Secondary outcomes are percentage of PTSD diagnoses, percentage caesarean sections, subjective childbirth experience, obstetrical and neonatal complications, and health care costs. Results: The results are meant to provide more insight about the safety and possible effectiveness of EMDR therapy during pregnancy for women with PTSD or FoC. Conclusion: This study is the first RCT studying efficacy and safety of EMDR in pregnant women with PTSD after childbirth or Fear of Childbirth.

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