Effect of antenatal class attendance on fear of childbirth and antenatal stress

Yörük, Selda; Acikgoz, Ayla

doi:10.11606/s1518-8787.2023057004272

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Original Article • Rev. Saúde Pública 57 • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2023057004272 copy

Effect of antenatal class attendance on fear of childbirth and antenatal stress

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of attending antenatal classes on fear of childbirth and antenatal stress in nulliparous pregnant women.

METHODS

A total of 133 nulliparous pregnant women participated in the study, which had a quasi-experimental design. Data were collected by a descriptive data form, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire, and the Antenatal Perceived Stress Inventory (APSI).

RESULTS

A significant correlation was found between antenatal class attendance and having a high schooling level and an intended pregnancy (p < 0.05). The mean fear of childbirth score of pregnant women was 85.50 ± 19.41 before the training and 76.32 ± 20.52 after the training, and the difference between these scores was significant (p < 0.01). Fear of childbirth score were not significantly different between the intervention group and the control group. The mean APSI score of pregnant women in the intervention group was 22.32 ± 6.12 before the training and 21.79 ± 5.97 after the training. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.70).

CONCLUSION

The fear of childbirth score decreased significantly in the intervention group after the training.

Antenatal Care; Antenatal Education; Antenatal Screening; Childbirth Classes; Childbirth Education; Abdominal Pregnancy; Fear; Childbirth; Stress

	Intervention (n = 67)		Control (n = 66)		p

	Mean ± SD	Median	Mean ± SD	Median
Age (Mean ± SD and Median)	27.5 ± 4.63	27.5	27.89 ± 3.95	28.0	0.44^a
Weight gain (Median)	9.59 ± 6.08	9.0	8.15 ± 4.88	8	0.09^a
Pre-pregnancy BMI (Mean ± SD and Median)	24.31 ± 4.66	23.43	23.51 ± 3.87	22.95	0.37^a
Gestational age at childbirth (Median [Quartiles])	39 (2)		39 (2)		0.57
Economic status	n	%	n	%
Income equals expenses	53	79.1	48	72.7	0.45
Income is higher than expenses	10	14.9	10	15.2
Income is lower than expenses	4	6.0	8	12.1
Pregnancy
Intended	60	89.6	48	72.7
Unintended	7	10.4	18	27.3	0.01
Smoking
Yes	7	10.4	2	3.0
Quit	21	31.3	14	21.2	0.06
No	39	58.2	50	75.8
Schooling level
Primary education	6	9.0	6	9.1	0.97
Secondary or higher education	61	91.0	66	90.9
Spouses’ schooling level
Primary education	6	9.0	6	9.1	0.97
High school or higher education	61	91.0	66	90.9
Health problems during pregnancy
Yes	6	9.0	14	21.2	0.04
No	61	91.0	52	78.8
Fear of childbirth
Low (≤ 37)	0	0.0	4	6.0
Moderate (38–65)	11	16.7	15	22.4
Severe (66–84)	25	37.9	23	34.3	0.34
Clinical (≥ 85)	30	45.5	25	37.3

		Intervention group (Before the training) (n = 67)	Intervention group (After the training) (n = 67)	p	Control group (n = 66)	Intervention group (After the training) (n = 67)	p
Fear of childbirth	Mean ± SD	85.50 ± 19.41 (80.77–90.24)	76.32 ± 20.52 (71.32–81.33)	0.01^a	81.68 ± 16.97 (77.50–85.85)	76.32 ± 20.52 (71.32–81.33)	0.42^b
	Median	85.00	81.00		82.0	81.00
Perceived stress	Mean ± SD (95%CI)	22.32 ± 6.12 (20.18–24.45)	21.79 ± 5.97 (19.70–23.88)	0.70^a	22.70 ± 7.03 (20.24–25.16)	21.79 ± 5.97 (19.70–23.88)	0.58^b
	Median	21.50	20.00		20.50	20.00
Fear of childbirth
< 85	n (%)	33 (49.3)	42 (62.7)		36 (54.5)	42 (62.7)
≥ 85	n (%)	34 (50.7)	25 (37.3)	0.15^c	30 (45.5)	25 (37.3)	0.34^d

Variable	FOC

	< 85		≥ 85		p*

	n	%	n	%
Age
18–22	10	55.6	8	44.4	0.89
23–34	55	50.9	53	49.1
≥ 35	4	51.1	3	42.9
Economic status
Income equals expenses	52	51.5	49	48.5	0.88
Income is higher than expenses	10	50.0	10	50.0
Income is lower than expenses	7	58.3	5	41.7
Pregnancy
Intended	53	49.1	55	50.9	0.17
Unintended	16	64.0	9	36.0
Smoking
Yes	2	22.2	7	77.8	0.06
No/Quit	67	54.0	57	46.0
Schooling level
Primary education	8	66.7	4	33.3	0.28
Secondary or higher education	61	50.4	60	49.6
Spouses’ schooling level
Primary education	15	65.2	8	34.8	0.05
Secondary or higher education	54	49.1	56	50.9
Health problems during pregnancy
Yes	49	48.5	52	51.5	0.16
No	20	62.5	12	37.5
BMI (Pre-pregnancy)
<25	48	52.2	44	47.8	0.91
≥25	21	51.2	20	48.8
Family type
Extended family	7	87.5	1	12.5	0.06
Nuclear family	62	49.6	63	50.4

Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 715, 01246-904 São Paulo SP Brazil, Tel./Fax: +55 11 3061-7985 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revsp@usp.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Correspondence: Selda Yörük Balıkesir University School of Health Department of Midwifery Cagis Campus, Balikesir, Turkey E-mail: seldayoruk@gmail.com