Effect of a Childbirth Psychoeducation Program on the Level of Fear of Childbirth in Primigravid Women

Severe fear of childbirth (FOC) is the most important cause of elective and emergency cesarean section and results in an unpleasant experience among women. Implementing a psychoeducational program can promote mothers’ knowledge and reduce the FOC.
Aim: the aim of this study was to determine the effect of childbirth psychoeducational program on the FOC intensity in primigravid women.
This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 122 primigravid women with a gestational age of 14 to 28 weeks referred to healthcare centers of Mashhad, Iran, during 2015-2016. The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ), versions A and B, was used for the data collection. The subjects had the FOC scores of 66 or higher based on the W-DEQ, version A. The women in the intervention group received the psychoeducational program for three weeks (one 90-minute session per week) by a clinical psychologist; however, the control group underwent the routine prenatal care. The FOC intensity was reassessed using W-DEQ, version B, six weeks postpartum in both groups. Data analysis was performed in SPSS, version 20, using Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests.
The mean age of the subjects was 23.2±3.6 and 24.2±4.4 years in the intervention and control groups, respectively. After the intervention, the Mann-Whitney U test demonstrated a significant difference between the intervention (83.5±21.7) and control (92.6±18.4) groups regarding the mean FOC score (P=0.001).
Implications for Practice: The childbirth psychoeducational program could diminish the FOC in primigravid women with severe FOC. We recommend midwives and expert psychologists to incorporate psychoeducational programs in childbirth classes.