Fear Of Childbirth

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on childbirth self-efficacy, fear of childbirth, and self-compassion among primiparous pregnant women. Eligible pregnant women will be randomly assigned to either a mindfulness intervention group or a control group receiving routine antenatal education and standard prenatal care. The intervention program will consist of eight sessions delivered over four weeks. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated measurement tools. The findings may contribute to the development of effective psychosocial interventions to improve maternal well-being during pregnancy.

Childbirth is a significant life event with important physical and psychological effects on pregnant women. Due to uncertainty during pregnancy, many women experience fear of childbirth. Fear of childbirth is a common condition that may negatively affect maternal well-being. Therefore, various psychosocial interventions have been developed to reduce this condition. Mindfulness-based approaches and psychoeducation programs are considered effective methods for reducing stress, anxiety, and fear by promoting non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. This study is designed as a randomized controlled experimental trial. The study population will consist of pregnant women attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatient Clinic of Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Training and Research Hospital who meet the inclusion criteria. The sample size was calculated using G\*Power 3.1.9.7 software. Based on an effect size of f = 0.38, 80% statistical power, and a 5% significance level, a minimum of 30 participants was required. Considering a 20% potential dropout rate, a total of 72 pregnant women (36 intervention and 36 control) will be included in the study. The inclusion criteria are being between 18 and 40 years of age, having a first pregnancy, being between 20 and 34 weeks of gestation, having a singleton and healthy pregnancy, being able to communicate in Turkish, and scoring 38 or higher on the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (Version A). Women with high-risk pregnancies, a history of psychiatric disorders, illiteracy, communication problems, or unwillingness to participate will be excluded. Withdrawal during the study, development of pregnancy complications, or inability to continue the intervention will be considered exclusion criteria. Data will be collected using a Sociodemographic Information Form, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ A), the Self-Perception Scale for Pregnant Women, and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale. The W-DEQ A measures fear of childbirth, the Self-Perception Scale assesses maternal and body perception during pregnancy, and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale evaluates the level of spiritual well-being. At the beginning of the study, eligible participants will be informed about the research and written informed consent will be obtained. Data collection forms will first be administered face-to-face. Pregnant women scoring 38 or above on the W-DEQ A will then be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups using a computer-based randomization method (randomizer.org). The intervention group will receive a mindfulness-based psychoeducation program adapted according to the Transtheoretical Model. The intervention will be delivered in group sessions of 6-10 participants, twice a week for 4 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 45-60 minutes. The program includes psychoeducation about pregnancy and childbirth, mindfulness exercises, emotional awareness activities, and coping strategies for fear of childbirth. The control group will receive routine obstetric care only. Post-intervention assessments will be conducted in both groups using the same measurement tools. Data analysis will be performed using SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive statistics will be calculated, and depending on data distribution, independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and chi-square test will be used. The level of statistical significance will be set at p \< 0.05. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a mindfulness-based psychoeducation intervention based on the Transtheoretical Model on fear of childbirth, self-perception, and spiritual well-being in pregnant women experiencing fear of childbirth.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of midwife-guided birth affirmation cards on labor duration, pain level, fear of childbirth, perceived control, and perceived support in primigravidas. The study seeks to determine whether this non-pharmacological approach used during labor improves the childbirth experience. Accordingly, the research aims to answer the question: "Do midwife-guided birth affirmation cards affect labor duration and the childbirth experience, including pain, fear, perceived control, and perceived support, in primigravidas?"

This study aims to evaluate the effect of midwife-led antenatal perineal massage education on pregnancy empowerment, self-efficacy for normal birth, and fear of childbirth among primiparous pregnant women. The study is designed as a controlled quasi-experimental study and will be conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatient Clinic of Silifke State Hospital in Mersin, Turkey. Eligible participants will be primiparous pregnant women aged 18-35 years, between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation, with a singleton pregnancy and a plan for vaginal birth. Participants in the intervention group will receive structured antenatal perineal massage education led by a midwife, in addition to routine antenatal care. Participants in the control group will receive routine antenatal care. The primary outcome will be pregnancy empowerment. Secondary outcomes will include self-efficacy for normal birth, fear of childbirth, knowledge and preferences regarding antenatal perineal massage, and adherence to antenatal perineal massage practice.

Fear of childbirth ranges from mild worry to severe anxiety and affects women of all ages. It is often linked to perceiving childbirth as unpredictable and painful. Women cope by seeking support, practicing relaxation, or attending prenatal education, with information playing a key role in reducing anxiety and increasing confidence. Pain neuroscience education has shown benefits in reducing pain, anxiety, and related fears by teaching the neurobiological mechanisms underlying pain.

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of mindfulness practices integrated into childbirth preparation education on fear of childbirth, prenatal stress, and childbirth self-efficacy in pregnant women.Participants will be randomly assigned either to the childbirth education group with mindfulness practices or to the standard childbirth education/control group. Results will be evaluated using the prenatal self-assessment childbirth fear subscale, the perceived stress scale before childbirth, and the self-efficacy scale during labor before and after intervention.This study aims to provide evidence on whether mindfulness practices in childbirth preparation classes affect pregnant women's fear of childbirth, prenatal stress, and childbirth self-efficacy.

This study was planned to evaluate the effect of haptonomy practice for primiparous pregnant women and their partners on prenatal attachment and fear of childbirth.

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether an individualized psychoeducational intervention led by an experienced midwife can reduce pregnancy-related anxiety (PrA) in pregnant women during the second and third trimesters. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can individualized midwife-led psychoeducation significantly reduce pregnancy-related anxiety levels as measured by the PRAQ-R2 questionnaire? * Does this intervention improve women's sense of control, competence, and readiness for childbirth? * Can the intervention reduce preferences for cesarean section without medical indication among low-risk pregnant women? Participants will: * Attend 4-6 individual sessions (approximately 60 minutes each) with a midwife, scheduled every 1-2 weeks * Complete the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ-R2) at the beginning and end of the intervention to measure anxiety levels * Receive evidence-based education about the physiological process of childbirth, pain management methods (both pharmacological and non-pharmacological), and medical procedures * Learn and practice stress-reduction techniques including breathing exercises, relaxation methods, and mindfulness * Develop an individualized birth plan and practice communication skills for effective interaction with medical personnel * Work on cognitive strategies to address negative thoughts and build positive affirmations about childbirth

Fear of labour in primiparous pregnant women is an important factor that directly affects the mother-infant relationship and the mental health of the mother. In this process, it is common for expectant mothers to experience feelings of uncertainty and anxiety about labour. Such intense fear of birth may weaken maternal attachment and make it difficult for her to establish a healthy emotional relationship with her baby. In addition, this fear may negatively affect the mother's mental well-being and increase the risk of depression and anxiety. In this context, emotional liberation techniques (EFT) and virtual reality (VR) applications stand out as effective nonpharmacological methods used to reduce fear of childbirth in primiparous pregnant women. EFT is a technique that provides relaxation by touching the energy meridians that help the person to regulate negative emotions and cope with stress. SG, on the other hand, allows expectant mothers to interact with simulations similar to the real world in a virtual environment, providing therapeutic benefits through distraction, stress reduction and cognitive restructuring, allowing them to manage their fears about birth and enter the process more prepared. The use of SLT and SG, especially for primiparous pregnant women, can alleviate these women's anxiety about childbirth and enable them to approach the process in a safer and more conscious manner. Thus, it may also help to reduce the negative effects on the mother's postnatal attachment and mental health. This study aims to examine the effects of SLT and SG practices on fear of childbirth, attachment and mental well-being, and to reveal the effects of these two methods on primiparous pregnant women. In this context, this study will fill the gap in the literature by providing a new perspective in clinical practice and antenatal education programmes and will make important contributions to increase antenatal attachment and mental well-being in primiparous pregnancy.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health education is "educational practices carried out in order to provide individuals, families and society with a healthy lifestyle, to adopt and implement the measures to be taken to improve their health, to get them used to using the health services offered, to persuade them to improve their health and their environment, to make them reach a common decision and to direct them to action" . As in all stages of life, it is known that the trainings given during pregnancy contribute to the protection of maternal and infant health. The aim of childbirth preparation trainings given for a healthy pregnancy and birth process is to develop positive health behaviors in line with the needs of the person, to increase confidence in oneself and one's body, to reduce the stress caused by the fear and uncertainty associated with childbirth encoded since the past, to ensure the desire to give birth normally and to ensure secure mother-baby bonding. Although prenatal education has positive contributions to the pregnancy and birth process, it has been determined that the verbal expression of the teaching style of routine prenatal education leads to a passive acceptance without establishing a cause and effect relationship by weakening the learning effect and moving away from mutual interaction. In the study conducted by Downe et al. (2019), it was determined that routine prenatal education was insufficient to meet the information needs of women. It is thought that prenatal education prepared through simulation and podcast by utilizing the advantages of digital technology on health education can be useful in increasing women's beliefs and self- efficacy towards normal delivery, reducing their fear of childbirth, increasing their knowledge levels and eliminating misinformation. From this point of view, our study is aimed to bring innovation to the literature. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of simulation and podcast education used in prenatal education on pregnant women's fear of childbirth, birth beliefs and birth self-efficacy. he main questions it aims to answer are Research question 1: Do the trainings given to pregnant women affect fear of childbirth? Research question 2: Do the trainings given to pregnant women affect birth self-efficacy? Research question 3: Does education for pregnant women affect birth beliefs? To see if the drug ABC treats severe asthma, the researchers will compare it to a placebo (a substance that looks like a drug, but does not contain one). To assess the effectiveness of prenatal education, the researchers will Group 1 will be trained with simulated labor for 4 weeks in addition to routine pregnancy education Group 2 will be shown podcast videos simulating childbirth for 4 weeks in addition to routine pregnancy education Group 3 will be provided with routine prenatal education

Fear of childbirth is a common condition encountered during pregnancy. Women with fear of childbirth have reduced birth self-efficacy, and it leads to mental health problems in the prenatal and postnatal periods, reducing mother-infant bonding. Therefore, it is of critical importance to implement effective and applicable interventions focused on health and well-being to reduce fear of childbirth. Considering the increasing cesarean section rates today, holistic intervention strategies that can positively affect the birth experiences of pregnant women and support their psychological well-being are needed. In this sense, mindfulness and haptonomy applications, which are holistic intervention strategies, will allow us to meet the psychological and emotional needs of pregnant women with fear of childbirth and improve their birth experiences. No study has been found in the literature that systematically evaluates the effects of a holistic intervention strategy for women with fear of childbirth during pregnancy. This study will enable the development of new and effective intervention strategies that can be used in prenatal and postnatal care practices and will guide clinical practices to make pregnant women's birth experiences more positive. In this study, the effects of mindfulness-based intervention and haptonomy application on childbirth self-efficacy, prenatal attachment and anxiety levels in pregnant women experiencing fear of childbirth will be evaluated. This research will be conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study. The data of the research will consist of 225 women (75 in the mindfulness group, 75 in the haptonomy group, and 75 in the control group) who applied to the Erzurum City Hospital Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic between 01.06.2024 and 01.07.2025. The data will be collected face to face using the "Personal Information Form", "Wijma Childbirth Expectation/Experience Scale Version A", "Prenatal Attachment Inventory", and "State Anxiety Scale".

Pregnancy is a life event that requires biopsychosocial adaptation. Although pregnancy is often perceived as a positive and physiological process, women experience a wide range of fears of childbirth, from simple anxiety to severe phobic fear (tokophobia), during their pregnancy. It is thought that the feeling of experiencing pain often lies at the root of the fear of childbirth. However, fear of childbirth can be experienced for many different reasons depending on biological, psychological and sociocultural factors, personal characteristics and experiences. The prevalence of fear of childbirth in the world is 14%. In Turkey, the prevalence of fear of childbirth varies between 16% and 69%, and 21% of women experience fear of childbirth at a clinical level. In general, fear is a physiological reaction that is important for the safety of the individual, and it is thought that low-level fear of childbirth will prepare individuals for parenting. However, uncontrollable fear of childbirth can lead to physical, emotional and behavioural changes that negatively affect the woman's daily life, prolonged labour and childbirth complications. Most importantly, women who cannot cope with the fear of childbirth may perceive cesarean section as the only solution and turn to elective cesarean section. The total cesarean section rate in Turkey is 52%, which is much higher than the World Health Organization's acceptable cesarean section rate. Fear of childbirth has been accepted as an important public health problem that needs intervention both in the world and in our country, and research on fear of childbirth has accelerated, especially in the last twenty years.