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. 2020 Aug 25;9(8):4016-4025.
doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1227_19. eCollection 2020 Aug.

Controlling the anxiety in Iranian pregnant women at risk of preterm labor by undergoing the counseling group intervention

Somayeh Bazrafshan  1 , Masoomeh Kheirkhah  2 , Mehrnoosh Inanlou  2 , Mahboobeh Rasouli  3
Affiliations

Controlling the anxiety in Iranian pregnant women at risk of preterm labor by undergoing the counseling group intervention

Somayeh Bazrafshan et al. J Family Med Prim Care. .

Abstract

Objective: The effect of a new, structured group training program on the anxiety reduction in Iranian pregnant women at risk of preterm labor (PTL) was assessed.

Design: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Setting: The prenatal care center in the Gynecology Clinic of University Hospital.

Population: 72 Iranian pregnant women at risk of PTL with a gestational age of 24-28 weeks.

Methods: Several trained research nurses presented group educational counseling sessions for 6 weeks based on the integration of psychological instructions and interactive lectures for the intervened group (n = 36). Pregnant women in the control group (n = 36) only received routine pregnancy care.

Main outcome measures: The completion of pregnancy-related anxiety questionnaire (PRAQ) for Iranian pregnant women at risk of PTL in the intervention (before and after 6-week counseling, and 1-month post-counseling) and control (before, and on the 6th and 10th week after the study) groups.

Results: There was a significant difference in the mean anxiety score between the intervention (3.45 ± 0.75) and control (3.01 ± 0.34) groups before the group educational counseling sessions. After this intervention, a significant reduction in the mean anxiety scores of intervened pregnant women (2.48 ± 0.32) compared to the control (2.68 ± 0.81) was found. This decrease in mean anxiety score after the 1-month post-counseling was more pronounced than the 6th week after the study onset (P < 0.001). Low anxiety scores in the intervention group over time were also maintained.

Conclusions: Implementing the group educational counseling sessions is recommended as a complementary, effective, and noninvasive intervention to efficiently control the anxiety in pregnant women at risk of PTL.

Keywords: Anxiety; group educational program; high-risk pregnancy; preterm delivery.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT 2010 flow diagram of participants in the present study (GECSs: group educational counseling sessions)
Figure 2
Figure 2
The total anxiety score of pregnant women at risk of preterm labor in the two groups at different evaluation times. Symbols: ** and *** are significant (P-value) at ≤ 0.01 and ≤ 0.001, respectively
Figure 3
Figure 3
A comparative study on scores of pregnancy-related anxiety questionnaire-dimensions between control and intervention groups of pregnant women at risk of preterm labor at different analysis times (before (a), and after the 6th (b) and 10th (c) weeks of study). FC-MPL: Fear of changes in mother's personal life, FB-PMHC: fear of bearing a physically or mentally handicapped child, FCB: fear of childbirth, FMC-CC: fear of mood changes and its consequences on the child, and FCD-MR: fear of changes and disillusion in the marital relationship. Symbols: ns, *, **, and *** are nonsignificant, and significant (P-value) at < 0.05, ≤0.01, and ≤ 0.001, respectively
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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