Effects of Antenatal Education on Birth Perception, Fear, and Readiness

Kastamonu University54 enrolled

Overview

Birth is a multi-dimensional and unique experience for every woman, and it is influenced by a woman's social life. Fear of childbirth is a common issue that affects women's health and well-being before, during, and after pregnancy. The thought that childbirth will be painful triggers fear of childbirth. Fear of childbirth is closely related to the perception of traumatic birth. Antenatal education is important in coping with childbirth pain and traumatic birth pain, but the aim of adult education is not just to inform, but also to change individuals' perspectives on events. The transformative learning theory is a model used to change individuals' perspectives on events. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of antenatal education based on the transformative learning theory on traumatic birth perception, fear of childbirth, and birth preparedness in pregnant women. The study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial with 54 participants. Data collection forms included a personal information form, the Traumatic Birth Perception Scale, the Prenatal Self-Assessment Scale, and the Wijma Birth Expectancy/Experience Scale. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 23.0 (Chicago, Illinois) version was used for data analysis. Histogram and Q-Q plots, and the Shapiro-Wilk test were used to assess the normality of the data distribution. Descriptive data regarding women's demographic characteristics were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and mean values. Differences in demographic characteristics between groups were examined using the independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Chi-square test. Pre-test and post-test scores of the groups were analyzed using the independent sample t-test. A significance level of p\<0.05 was accepted.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Interventions

Transformational Learning-Based Antenatal Education ProgramBEHAVIORAL

The Transformational Learning-Based Antenatal Education Program helps pregnant women reduce birth-related anxiety and fear by utilizing transformational learning theory. Unlike traditional antenatal education, it emphasizes psychological preparedness, focusing on emotional well-being and coping strategies. The program includes interactive learning, group discussions, and self-reflection to engage participants actively. This approach aims to boost women's confidence and reduce stress as they approach labor and delivery.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Perception of Traumatic Birth

This will be assessed using the Traumatic Birth Perception Scale.The scale, developed by Yalnız et al. (2016), is called the Traumatic Birth Perception Scale. It is designed to assess the traumatic birth perception levels of women of reproductive age. It consists of 13 items that encompass the thoughts and emotions, such as anxiety, fear, and concern, that a woman experiences when thinking about childbirth. For each item, respondents rate their feelings on a scale from 0 ("no fear") to 10 ("extreme fear"). The total average score indicates the level of traumatic birth perception. The lowest and highest possible scores on the scale are 0 and 130, respectively. As the score increases, it reflects a higher perception of traumatic birth. The score ranges are as follows: 0-26 indicates very low, 27-52 low, 53-78 moderate, 79-104 high, and 105-130 indicates very high levels of traumatic birth perception. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of the scale is 0.89.

Time frame: Baseline: Week 30 of pregnancy (pre test); An average of 3 weeks (post test)

Secondary Outcomes

Childbirth Readiness

The Childbirth Readiness Subscale (PKDÖ-DHOÖ) was developed by Lederman in 1979 to assess women's adaptation to motherhood during the prenatal period. The scale, consisting of 79 items and using a 4-point Likert-type scale, was validated and tested for reliability in Turkey by Beydağ and Mete (2008). The scale includes 7 subscales: thoughts about the health of oneself and the baby, acceptance of pregnancy, acceptance of the maternal role, childbirth readiness, fear of childbirth, relationship with the mother, and relationship with the spouse. These subscales can be used independently. The general Cronbach's alpha for the Turkish version of the scale is 0.81, and the internal consistency reliability coefficients for the subgroups range from 0.72 to 0.85 (Beydağ \& Mete, 2008). Scores on the scale range from 10 to 40. The Cronbach's alpha value for the Childbirth Readiness Subscale (DHOÖ) is 0.72. As the score increases, it indicates a lower level of readiness for childbirth.