The Effect of Training Pregnant Women and Their Husband’s on the Anxiety in Pregnant Women with Previous Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Pregnant women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes have a higher level of anxiety, which creates several problems for the mother and the fetus/infant. Decreasing the anxiety in these pregnant women is therefore of great importance. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of training on the anxiety in women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes. This randomized, controlled, clinical trial was conducted on 132 pregnant women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes. The women were randomly assigned to training (n≤=≤66) and control (n≤=≤66) group. In the training group, women and their husbands received training sessions once a week, an instructional booklet and counseling on phone in the intervals between the sessions. The control group received routine treatment. Spielberger anxiety questionnaires were completed by the pregnant women before and 1 month after the intervention. Compared to the control group, significant reductions were observed in the state anxiety (adjusted mean difference -≤19.6, 95% CI -≤21.9 to -≤17.3, P≤ > 0.001) and trait anxiety (adjusted mean difference: - 20.1, 95% CI - 22.2 to - 17.9, P > 0.001) in the training group. Training pregnant women and their husbands with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes helps. This training should be added to the prenatal health care system.

Keywords

Anxiety - Training - Pregnancy - Previous adverse pregnancy outcomes